Vaghela's comments on Muslim votes raises eyebrows

"We are dependent on you. The Congress already bears the accusation of being a pro-Muslim party... So the onus of making us victorious is on you. Your lower turnout will not do... You have to come out in large number this time," Vaghela said speaking at the Congress minority cell meeting in Koba town of Gandhinagar district on Sunday.

Vaghela, referring to 1997 by-elections he fought from Radhanpur constituency had further said, "I became infamous as Shankarulla Khan in Radhanpur because of you (Muslims)".

During that elections, his pictures wearing skull cap were circulated by the rival candidates.

The comments of Vagehla, who had his roots in RSS before joining the Congress, left the Congress embarrassed but the local leaders refused to say anything on it. But this has given BJP a chance to hit out at Congress.

The party spokesperson Vijay Rupani said, "This shows that the Congress is treating Muslims as a vote bank and it is not really interested in the welfare of the community but only in seeking their votes,".