Solanki resigns' as Congress Gujarat chief

New Delhi: Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki has resigned from his post. After the plenary, Mr Solanki met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday and tendered his resignation. He also requested Mr Gandhi to relieve him of his responsibility as the Gujarat PCC president.

Mr Solanki had also offered to resign after the results of the Gujarat assembly elections in December last year. The Congress had increased its tally substantially in the Gujarat assembly, but fell short of defeating the BJP in the home state of the Prime Minister and BJP national president Amit Shah.

Insiders claim that Mr Solanki was miffed with the party because he was overlooked for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat. The Congress chose Mr Narainbhai Rathwa and Ms Amee Yagnik over Mr Solanki for the two seats in the Congress kitty. Mr Solanki was lobbying hard for a Rajya Sabha berth from his home state. He had expressed his desire in this regard to senior leaders close to the party high command.

However, people close to Mr Solanki told this newspaper that he is going abroad for about two months. It would be appropriate to have a new incumbent as he would remain politically inactive for sometime. Officially, the resignation has not been accepted yet.

After landing in Ahmedabad, Mr Solanki scotched talk of his resignation. He added, “The party has given me and my family so much. I am a committed soldier of the party.”