Vaghela joins new front which will contest all seats in Gujarat Assembly polls

Shankarsinh Vaghela

Former Gujarat Congress strongman Shankersinh Vaghela announced that he will lead a new political 'front' which will contest all seats in the upcoming assembly polls.

Vaghela said the front 'Jan Vikalp' was floated by some city-based "professionals", who approached him to provide an alternative to the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Gujarat, and claimed a number of people wanted to see him as the chief minister.

The 77-year-old former chief minister, who recently quit the Congress apparently as the party was reluctant to name him the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming election, made the announcement about his much-awaited next political move at a press conference here.

Vaghela claimed the people associated with Jan Vikalp had conducted a survey and found that most respondents wanted to see him as the next chief minister of Gujarat.

"This is not a party, it's a front which will become the voice of people who are unhappy with the system. I hereby announce my support to Jan Vikalp, which will raise issues concerning farmers, women, traders and unemployed youth. We are planning to field our candidates on all the 182 seats," said Vaghela.

182
Number of seats in the Gujarat Assembly