All eyes on game-changer Shankersinh Vaghela: Will he join BJP?

GANDHINAGAR: The most vexed question in contemporary politics of Gujarat seems to be hovering like a drone around leader of opposition Shankersinh Vaghela and the speculation of him joining BJP ahead of 2017 elections in the state. Going by BJP sources, the saffron party leadership is desperate to bring Vaghela back or at least erode his clout over the Thakore community, which wields considerable sway over number of assembly seats, particularly in North Gujarat, where BJP has been facing the ire of the Patidar community.

“Over last couple of years the party has inducted a number of senior Congress leaders with strong grounds well,” said a BJP member.

“The script has no reason to be altered in Gujarat and for Congress, there is only one man who matters on the ground and that is Bapu (as Vaghela is called in the state).”