Gujarat Congress MLA resigns after ticket denial for LS poll
Ahmedabad: In a setback to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, its MLA Kalu Dabhi resigned from the party's primary membership on Thursday after he was denied ticket for the parliamentary election.
However, state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Dabhi's resignation was not accepted and that efforts would be made to pacify him.
Dabhi wanted to contest the Lok Sabha poll from Kheda constituency, where the Congress has fielded Bimal Shah, a former minister who quit the BJP to join the opposition party in January.
Unhappy over Shah's candidature, Dabhi resigned from the party on Thursday.
He, however, but did not quit as an MLA from his Kapadvanj Assembly seat in Kheda district.
In his resignation letter to state Congress president Amit Chavda, Dabhi said he and his supporters were hurt with the party's decision to field Shah from Kheda, instead of him.
Shah served as transport minister in 1998, when Keshubhai Patel was the state chief minister.
Talking to reporters after resigning, Dabhi blamed Congress heavyweight and former MP Dinsha Patel for denial of ticket to him.
"Since I am already an MLA, I was not keen on contesting the Lok Sabha polls. However, senior party leaders insisted that I should contest from Kheda seat, which has a sizable number of OBC voters. Party leaders told me that being an OBC leader, I can win this seat," Dabhi said.
"But, Dinsha Patel, who played a key role in bringing Shah into the Congress, did not want an OBC candidate and threatened to quitthe party if I was given ticket. Following the pressure, the party denied me the ticket and chose Shah, who belongs to the Jain community," he further said.
Dabhi claimed that though he enjoyed a huge support in Kheda, he was denied ticket "at the behest of Patel".
Meanwhile, Doshi said efforts will be made to placate Dabhi.
"We have not accepted his resignation. He is our senior and respected leader. He is a strong OBC leader from Thakor community. Party leaders will sit with him to sort out all the misunderstandings. We are sure he will withdraw his resignation after the meeting," said Doshi.
The BJP has renominated its sitting MP Devusinh Chauhan for the Kheda Lok Sabha seat.
Polling in all 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat will be held on April 23 and the results will be declared on May 23.
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Inappropriate for MLAs seeking free IPL tickets, says D.K. Suresh
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Milk Union Ltd President D.K. Suresh on Monday said it is inappropriate for MLAs to seek free IPL tickets, adding that those interested in watching matches should pay for them personally.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, he said, “IPL is a commercial tournament and does not represent the country. It is not right for public representatives to focus too much on such matters.”
Referring to the recent controversy during the RCB celebrations, he said, “let us find out who benefited the most from the statements made during the incident.” He also pointed out that BJP MLAs had received IPL tickets as well.
Responding to discussions about relocating the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Suresh said the government has already approved the construction of a new stadium at a location he had proposed.
“I had suggested building a stadium in Surya City and submitted a proposal for it. Bengaluru needs four stadiums in four directions to cater to its growing population and encourage youth participation in sports,” he said.
He noted that apart from Kanteerava Stadium, KSCA, and the Football Stadium, there are limited facilities in the city.
“When I was a Lok Sabha member, I had proposed allocating 100 acres in my constituency at Surya City. The land was later earmarked and the plan approved,” he added.
Suresh said he has discussed the project with Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Chairman Shivalingegowda, and Anekal MLA Shivanna.
“The Cabinet has now approved the project, and a stadium will be developed on around 50–60 acres,” he said.
He further added that he has requested the Deputy Chief Minister to build another stadium at Shivarama Karanth Layout through the BDA, where 40 acres have been allocated. Plans are also being discussed to develop a well-equipped stadium in Bidadi.
Commending state government's recent bilingual policy move, Suresh said forcing children to learn three languages could affect their comprehension.
“It is a good decision to make two languages compulsory. Learning a third language should be left to the choice of students and parents,” he said.
Responding to criticism from BJP leaders, he said their tendency is to oppose every decision of the government.
“To please their central leadership, they take a pro-Hindi stance. Instead, they should advocate for the adoption of Kannada in all states,” he said.
When asked about the earlier three-language policy under Congress, he said, “the situation is different now. Today, the focus should be on quality learning. Kannada should remain the primary language, while students and parents can choose an additional language.”
