Gujarat Congress leaders split over CM candidature

Ahmedabad: The differences over the chief ministerial candidate of Congress in Gujarat are out in the open with senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela declaring that he is the `captain` of the party while leader of the opposition Shaktisinh Gohil stating that the party high command would take the decision.

Addressing a poll rally on Wednesday, Vaghela said "I am fighting the elections not to seat in opposition benches... I am the contender for the top post...They are asking who is the captain - I am the captain." Vaghela was referring to Chief Minister Narendra Modi`s remarks that BJP had declared its chief ministerial candidate while in Congress, nobody knows who is their `captain`. Gohil, however, said today that "it is an established tradition in Congress party that after the election, a view of elected legislators is taken and it is conveyed to the party`s central leadership which decides as to who will be the Chief Minister". He also said there were no differences between leaders in the opposition party and they were all united while fighting elections. Reacting to the development, Modi said today in one of his poll rallies that "everyone is coming forward and declaring that they are captains of Congress party in Gujarat. There are six leaders and all of them are declaring that they are captains". "Tomorrow, Sonia Gandhi is coming here... You should seek an answer from her as to who is the captain of Congress in Gujarat," Modi said addressing people in Keshod town in Junagadh district. Gandhi will address poll rallies at Mandvi in Surat district and Keshod in Junagadh district tomorrow. PTI