Congress says not expelled Vaghela

The Congress party on Friday denied having expelled Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela or taken any disciplinary action against him, and hoped he would continue to work for the party.

"Neither has Congress party taken any disciplinary action against him nor has he been expelled from the party. Both these facts are entirely incorrect. Vaghela wanted that the present PCC President should be replaced and he be appointed in his place.

"This is a decision of the party and its leadership and no one individual can decide it as the party is bigger than individuals," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a statement.

"Each one of us needs to understand that interests of the party and its ideals are bigger than ambition of one person. We sincerely hope that he'll continue to work for the party despite his decision to quit party posts," he added.

Surjewala said the Congress is not representative of individuals but ideology and principles.

He said party chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and crores of Congressmen and women are not fighting for power alone but for social justice, progress and "a just humane society against autocracy of a few".

Surjewala said the party respects the Gujarat leader.

"Congress party has always given him respect and important positions of responsibility. Vaghela was appointed as PCC president, union cabinet minister, chairman of ITDC with cabinet minister status and is presently Leader of Opposition," he added.

On Friday, Vaghela said the party high command had expelled him, but stressed he was not going to join the BJP.

Vaghela said he will resign as Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and quit as MLA after the Rajya Sabha election on August 8. He claimed he was a victim of intra-party conspiracy, due to which the party had shown him the door.

--IANS

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