The appointment was made by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi who was authorized by a meeting of the Gujarat Congress Legislature Party in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to select the leader.
Issuing a video message after his resignation, Vaghela expressed his displeasure about lone NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja defying the party whip and indulging in cross-voting during the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls for four seats.
'Mr Modi has the power and pre-eminence in the BJP-RSS to choose how long he wants to serve, and he is definitely going to want to contest in 2029.' 'He will only be 79, as old as Donald Trump now, and fitter,' observes Shekhar Gupta.
In the last 11 years, India and the world witnessed what he stood for, what he promised and did not deliver, and what he actually stood for and practised without fearing how history would judge him. Modi's tenure has been punctuated with headline-grabbing decisions, symbolic gestures, and stage-managed moments that continue to define his leadership and India's politics, points out Ramesh Menon.
Vaghela said the front 'Jan Vikalp' was floated by some city-based "professionals", who approached him to provide an alternative to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress in Gujarat, and claimed a number of people wanted to see him as the chief minister.
Of the 10 MLAs, eight including Vaghela and his son, who had voted for the BJP candidates in the Rajya Sabha poll, were expelled by the Congress on Wednesday.
Public expression of dissent and quitting a party is not new for Shankersinh Vaghela
If the party's members aren't sure what it stands for, see no path to wealth or power, and endure control by a dynasty, which, almighty as it is within the party, cannot get them the votes, they are likely to explore options, notes Shekhar Gupta.
As per Ahmed Patel's wishes, he was buried next to the graves of his parents.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday showed an uncharacteristic discomfort in using Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's name as well as taking on Congress candidate and chief ministerial-hopeful Shankersinh Vaghela in his public address at Kapadvanj constituency in Gujarat's Kheda district. Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore reports from the ground.
Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela today criticised the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and some religious leaders for supporting Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dared Congress president Sonia Gandhi to announce her party's Gujarat chief ministerial candidate before visiting the poll-bound state
The Election Commission decided Monday to issue a notice to Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela for allegedly making hate speeches while campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat.
Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela on Saturday began his counter-fast against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's three-day fast in Ahmedabad. Vaghela began his fast on Saturday morning to protest the BJP-led Gujarat government's policies and approach towards the common man. In the exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Krishna Shah, he takes on the Modi-led government in the state.
The ruling BJP and opposition Congress have together fielded sons of sitting and former MLAs in at least 20 of the total 182 constituencies.
The Congress leaders were on a fast to counter Modi's three-day long fast under 'Sadbhavna Mission' for peace, unity and harmony in the state. Modi broke his fast on Monday.
The counter fast of Gujarat Congress leaders Shankersinh Vaghela and Arjun Modhvadia against Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 72-hour 'Sadbhavana Mission', entered the second day on Sunday.
The Congress on Monday announced the list of 12 candidates in Gujarat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Eight sitting Members of Parliament figure in the first list, which includes Union ministers Dinsha Patel, Shankersinh Vaghela and Naranbhai Rathwa, who will contest from Kheda, Panchmahal and Chota Udepur constituencies, respectively.The party has fielded Madhusudhan Mistry, chief whip of the Congress, from the Sabarkantha constituency.
The Gujarat Congress has recommended the names of two leaders for the high-profile Gandhinagar seat to take on Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate and sitting Member of Parliament L K Advani in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The G-23 group seems to have expanded with several senior Congressmen attending Wednesday's meeting.
The government on Monday said about 40 lakh artisans would be provided health insurance coverage under the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojna over a period of five years.
Union Textile Minister Shankersinh Vaghela inaugurated the Rs 4 crore (Rs 40 million) plant, with a production capacity of 800 pairs of trousers per shift, at Vaagarai.
India's textile exports for the year 2007-08 stood at $20.5 billion, falling short of the target set by the government. The government had set a target of $25 billion export target for the textile sector.
India's Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela Thursday stressed the need for Asian countries to come together to enhance competitiveness and harness their advantages to withstand global competition.
Union minister Shankersinh Vaghela says suspended BJP leader Khurana is 'not alone' and may return.
The government has committed Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) for development of 25 textile and apparel production centres throughout India in next three years.
The Congress on Friday said that it has received official proposals from Bharatiya Janata Party dissidents in Gujarat, including former chief minister Suresh Mehta and 15 MLAs, who want to join the party. The Congress leadership in the state will take a decision in a couple of days. "We will hold discussions with the BJP dissidents within the next two days and work out a formula and modus operandi," Union Minister and senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela said.
While considering the options before it, what the government can do is revive the defunct Textile Upgradation Fund Scheme, which lapsed on March 31, 2007.
The government is planning to set up 25 integrated textile parks with an aim to enhance the competitiveness of the textile industry.
The Textile Ministry on Tuesday said it was awaiting clearance from the Maharashtra government for the International Convention Centre to come up at Mumbai with an approximate investment of Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion).
The rising rupee has pulled down textile exports, which have fallen short of the first quarter target by 36 per cent to $4.8 billion. The government had set the target of $7.5 billion for the first quarter ended June 30.
The government has decided to modernise 15 of the 53 mills under the National Textiles Corporation at the cost of Rs 318.83 crore (Rs 3.18 billion).
Earlier, only Azad was scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi.
The government on Tuesday said that the textile exports from India will double from the current levels within a year of the Multi Fibre Agreement coming to an end.
If only the Congress could rebuild on its strengths and develop a modern enough ideology, we could again be moving towards a clearer two-party political landscape, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'Vaghela has said he is with the Congress.' 'The controversy that he may switch to the BJP is a creation of that party to create confusion in the Congress.'
According to Swami Vishwaprakashji of the temple, which is situated in Laskana area of Surat, the dress was gifted by a local devotee a few days back.
Union minister Smriti Irani will also contest the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat from where she is already an MP and her term ends on August 18.
'If he loses Gujarat, then he has a major, major, problem coming up in 2024.'
With political parties using him as punching bag in the highly charged election campaign, Adani Group head Gautam Adani on Sunday said he got no special favours from Narendra Modi and his group has since 1993 acquired only barren waste land for infrastructure projects.
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