Vaghji Boda, chairman of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) who had questioned the BJP government's role in the alleged groundnut procurement scam in Gujarat, today resigned as a member of Congress.
He should have refrained from making comments about the scam at a party event, he said.
"NAFED is a national-level organisation and its directors are associated with different parties. It was my mistake to comment about the groundnut (scam) at an event held under the banner of Congress. In the interest of NAFED, I hereby resign from Congress," Boda said in his resignation letter.
Yesterday, Boda had said that although the Gujarat State Co-Operative Cotton Federation (GUJCOT) is a bankrupt entity, it was chosen by the state to procure groundnuts from farmers on behalf of NAFED.
He made the comment at a meeting of Tankara tehsil Congress Committee in Morbi district.
Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel then accused Boda of shirking the responsibility for the alleged scam.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi today admitted that Boda was a Congress member, though "not actively involved in party affairs".
"He has resigned because of the ongoing blame-game. Just like Congress, Boda too wanted a free and fair probe in the scam. He has resigned in NAFED's interest," Doshi said.
Doshi also said that Boda and his son are more close to BJP leaders of Rajkot and Morbi.
State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani said he will request the state government to set up an inquiry against Boda for his alleged involvement.
Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Paresh Dhanani avoided naming Boda because of his party affiliations, Vaghani alleged.
"Boda had fought Assembly polls twice on Congress ticket...Dhanani never said a single word about him and always attacked BJP to divert the issue," said Vaghani.
Rajkot police have arrested 27 persons, including officials of NAFED and GUJCOT, after government-procured groundnuts stored at a godown at Pedhla were found to be adulterated with stones and soil.
The matter came to light when the traders who had purchased the groundnuts refused to accept delivery of sub-standard stocks from warehouses.
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