Newly appointed Congress in-charge for Gujarat, Raghu Sharma, on Saturday said he would work to make sure that his party fights the upcoming Assembly elections in the State with strength and comes out victorious.
He said despite having been a common party worker, the Congress party trusted him with the responsibility and it would be his resolve that a change comes in Gujarat.
“Strategy would be that the party stands strongly, fights election strongly...with agitational and training programmes, the party forms the government in coming times,” Mr. Sharma told reporters during a presser.Mr. Sharma holds Medical- and Health Department portfolio in Rajasthan government and his appointment as in-charge ahead of the Assembly elections in Gujarat in 2022 is seen as a hint towards a possible reshuffle in Rajasthan government Cabinet. He will be on a three-day tour to Gujarat to meet party leaders and workers.
Mr. Sharma said: “I am not a son of any big political leader and don’t have a background of any political family. I am a common grassroots party worker. Party has trusted me and given the responsibility so I am also going with a resolve that a change is seen in Gujarat.” Mr. Sharma said his priority is the Congress party and its organisation. Replying to a question on how the Congress would tackle the sitting BJP government in Gujarat, he said that there has been no development, governance and performance in the State. “If there would have been governance or development, what was the need to change Chief Minister, Deputy CM. If the BJP has accepted that it has proved useless and has not performed then they should apologise to the people of the state,” Mr. Sharma said.
He said the BJP should give reasons as to why the CM was changed and the State Cabinet reshuffled. The BJP has formed the government by unconstitutional means in Gujarat in 2017 with the support of 18 Congress MLAs, he said.
“Now, the MLAs who were given portfolio in BJP government in Gujarat too have been ousted,” he said.
Asked about speaking with Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who was earlier the in-charge of Gujarat Congress, he said he is yet to do that.
“He is a senior party senior leader and will seek his advice whenever needed,” Mr. Sharma said.
