Shankersinh Vaghela quits as Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly- Read his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi

"I strongly feel that I should not remain in the party at the cost of my dignity and self-respect," Vaghela wrote in the letter.

File photo

New Delhi: Veteran leader Shankersinh Vaghela, who quit the grand old party Congress July 21 has resigned as Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly on Sunday. The resignation letter which was sent to party president Sonia Gandhi clearly mentioned that Vaghela was forced to take this 'tough decision' as some Congress leaders were conspiring against him ahead of the Assembly polls, expected to be held in Gujarat in December.

Vaghela thanked Gandhi for making him Union minister in the UPA-1 government in the letter. Venting his anger on the Congress, Vaghela claimed he was left with no other option but to resign as his suggestions for the upcoming Assembly polls were not accepted.

"As I can see right now that once again history is repeating itself, as a well-planned conspiracy within the party is at work for ousting me during the forthcoming elections. Hence, I strongly feel that I should not remain in the party at the cost of my dignity and self-respect," he said in the letter.

My resignation letter to Madam Sonia Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/3CqPvLguq7

— Shankersinh Vaghela (@ShankersinhBapu) July 23, 2017

Vaghela said since he has also decided to resign as the sitting Congress MLA of Kapadwanj seat, he will submit his resignation to the Gujarat Assembly speaker in the coming days.

The former RSS leader, who had left the Bharatiya Janata Party 20 years ago, also asserted that he would not join any other political party.  "Congress party sacked me 24 hours ago as they did not know what I was going to say at this rally; when one's destruction time is soon to arrive, one begins to think negatively)," Vaghela had said, adding that he is finally free of Congress.

However, the Congress has asserted that it did not take any action against Vaghela and that the senior leader took a decision on his own accord. Vaghela had been at loggerheads with the Congress leadership for quite some. Last year in June, the former Gujarat chief minister lashed out at the Congress Party for lack of preparedness to fight the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections.