Vaghela Promises Government In A Fortnight

Vaghela pooh-poohed the claim of BJP President L K Advani that the party had the support of 93 MLAs in the Assembly.

While maintaining that there was no need for the Centre to dissolve the Assembly as an alternative government could be formed, Vaghela asserted that former Chief Minister Suresh Mehta would not be able to form a government again.

Vaghela has planned to organise his party as a regional party which would stress on stronger states and a weak Centre.

In his first address to national press after the imposition of President's rule on Gujarat, Vaghela charged that Suresh Mehta had manipulated the proceedings of the Assembly to secure a vote of confidence by fraud.

The confidence vote was not on the agenda of the Assembly's proceedings on September 18 as it was to pay obituary to late Speaker Harish Chandra Patel.

None had imagined that the BJP which claimed itself to be a disciplined party would not follow the tradition of paying obituary to a sitting Speaker.

Even while taking the confidence vote Suresh Mehta was heard prompting the Chair to count 92 MLAs though only 87 MLAs supporting the BJP were present in the Assembly, he charged.

The very fact that Suresh Mehta could not wait for one day more to prove his majority showed that he was not sure of his majority.

On behalf of the Maha Gujarat Janata party (MGJP),which is a part of the RJP, Vaghela claimed that the MGJP was supported by 28 MLAs with the possibility of other MLAs joining the party when the battle-lines would be drawn.

The 18 of the 46 MLAs who form part of the split group in the Assembly as per September 3 order of deputy speaker Chandubhai Dhabi, were under pressure to support the BJP group and they would support the MGJP in a free and fair trail of strength, Vaghela claimed.

He demanded that irrespective of claims, both the BJP and the Maha Gujarat Janata Party (MGJP) should be ready to demonstrate their majority on the floor of the Assembly. The group which succeeds in proving majority should form government.