Gujarat Congress' date with attrition continues unabated; party clueless

Congress MLA from Khedbrahma, Ashwin Kotwal, joined the BJP on Tuesday, the 16th sitting MLA who has switched to the ruling side since the 2017 Gujarat election. Not just sitting MLAs but also other veteran Congress workers have been shifting out of the Congress in the state.

Last month, Indranil Rajguru, one of the richest Congress leaders, moved to the Aam Aadmi Party in Rajkot along with a senior local leader Vashram Sagathiya. Former Vadgam MLA, Manilal Vaghela, joined the BJP in Vadgam. Prior to that, Jairajsinh Parmar, one of the most erudite and aggressive leaders of northern Gujarat, also shifted to the BJP, severing his decades of association with Congress.

The working president of the Congress, Hardik Patel, recently removed his Congress affiliation from his social media bio, fuelling speculation of his departure. However, according to people aware of the matter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been trying to retain Patel, who has minced no words in lashing out at the state leadership.


Without naming anyone, Patel alleged some people in Congress wanted him to part ways with the party.

While the Congress officially alleges that the legislators are being poached by the ruling dispensation through various means, senior party leaders admit off the record that the problem of attrition may have to do more with the way the party is conducting itself in the state.

"It's painful to see a situation where people are really angry with the ruling party, but as opposition we are clueless, workers are totally demoralised and our leaders are living in their own worlds," said a senior Congress leader, who did not wish to be identified.