In response to a question on why his son Mahendrasinh, a former Congress MLA from Bayad, had not joined the BJP unlike some of his other supporters, Vaghela said it was to avoid sending confusing signals.
When former Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who floated the Jan Vikalp Manch after quitting the Congress before the Rajya Sabha polls spoke at Game of Gujarat, it did look like he was keeping his options open. The veteran leader said on Tuesday that neither the Congress nor the BJP was untouchable.
Vaghela, largely known as Bapu, said, "Neither the BJP, nor the Congress is untouchable for me. I have friends on both sides. We will provide issue-based support to whoever provides a better road map to improving education and healthcare facilities, employment opportunities, among others."
The former Union minister, who had quit the BJP about two decades ago, stayed away from joining the party after leaving the Congress, and said that his outfit was not fighting the elections to cut the votes of the Congress for BJP's benefit, and stressed that it was in the Assembly polls "to contest".
"People in Gujarat want a third front, and we will provide that option," he said, alleging that there was no democracy in any political party. "The high command culture in all parties is against the spirit of democracy. We want to change that," he added.
On being questioned about his reasons for quitting the Congress, Vaghela claimed that he was not seeking the CM's post as was being speculated, but quit as he felt that the party was not going ahead in the right direction before the Gujarat elections.
In response to a question on why his son Mahendrasinh, a former Congress MLA from Bayad, had not joined the BJP unlike some of his other supporters, Vaghela said it was to avoid sending confusing signals.
"When we have Jan Vikalp, it would confuse voters if my son joined the BJP. Mahendrasinh has sacrificed his seat to avoid this," he said.
He refused to reply to a question on which of the two parties had an edge in the elections, saying that it was for the people to decide. Vaghela slammed political parties for indulging in polarisation for electoral gains, saying it was hurting the country in the long run.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Shankersinh Vaghela")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}