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Shanker Sinh Vaghela, who broke the BJP in Gujarat to become the Chief Minister of the state in 1996, yesterday joined the Congress along with his colleagues including former chief minister Dilip Parikh, thereby giving a major boost to the Congress in the State.

Announcing this here yesterday, AICC general secretary Madhavrao Scindia told reporters that at the party headquarters that Vaghela's Rashtriya Janata Party will formally merge with the Congress at a rally in Ahmedabad on July 17 which would be addressed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Vaghela along with his colleagues met Sonia Gandhi at her residence before the announcement of his joining the Congress. Later, Vaghela stated that the merger of his party with the Congress would strengthen the secular forces in the State and help it fight the BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel, Gujarat State Congress Committee president C D Patel and state legislature party leader Amarsinh Chaudhary were also present at the Press conference. name="description" content="India has sought the support of the European Union (EU) for a ban on unilateral trade actions by members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).">