Ahmedabad: In another jolt to the Gujarat Congress, a North Gujarat leader and aggressive spokesperson Jayrajsinh Parmar quit the party, claiming that he was being given short shrift while the party had come to represent a “personal property” of handful leaders who could not win even their own elections.
In the resignation letter that he posted on Facebook as an emotional outburst addressed to his supporters, he said, “Not only Gujarat, the party is virtually dysfunctional even at the national level.”
He said he had dedicated 37 years of his life to the party and never expressed his resentment. “I was not given any respectable position of my caliber," he added.
“I had sought a ticket from Kheralu Assembly seat of Mehsana in 2007, 2012, 2017 [elections] and 2019 [bypoll], but I was not given the ticket. But I never complained. Now I am tired, not because I have left any energy to fight but the party leadership itself doesn’t wish to fight.”
I have drawn the attention of Congress leaders towards flaws in the party’s internal system in the past. But, since the party is not willing to make changes in its functioning, I am left with no other option than to leave the party,” he said.
He added that the Congress was not in power in Gujarat for 27 years but “we find the same old leaders calling the shots. There is no refresh button in the Congress system, no fresh ideas or new people are given the reins.”
Parmar went on, “Those who could not save their own seat are made custodian of the entire state. The Congress has become a personal property of some 5 to 25 leaders, who are not ready to give responsibility to the next generation of leaders.”
He resigned amid speculations that he would join the BJP with the Assembly elections being due at the year-end. However, he said he would disclose his plans later.
