Amit Chavda takes charge as GPCC chief, Tushar Chaudhary as CLP leader

Indian Express

5 days ago

As Amit Chavda on Tuesday took charge as the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president, he declared the day as 'Sankalp Diwas' and assured that he would reach every house in the state, listen to people's problems and fight for them. Tushar Chaudhary also took charge as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at the same event.
'It won't work if we just leave from here taking the sankalp (oath). We have to reach every house in Gujarat, listen to people's problems, come out on the streets and then reach Parliament, fighting for their rights. To fulfil people's hope for a change in 2027, in Gujarat, we will not hesitate coming out on the streets, fighting for their rights,' Chavda said in his address at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan in Ahmedabad in the presence of senior Congress leaders, including state Congress in-charge Mukul Wasnik, former presidents Shaktisinh Gohil and Jagdish Thakor, party Lok Sabha MP Geniben Thakor, former Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathva.
This is the second time that Chavda, a five-time MLA from Anklav in Anand district, is taking charge as the GPCC president — a position he had held from 2018 to 2021. Later in 2023, he was appointed as the Leader of the CLP.
Pointing at the low strength of Congress MLAs in the Gujarat Assembly, Chaudhary highlighted how he has to face 170 members with just 12 members in the Assembly. He, however, named each of the members and said they are capable of taking on the 170 BJP MLAs
.'If any issue arises related to Saurashtra, Vimal Chudasama will raise his voice in the House. When it comes to tribal issues, Anant Patel and Kanti Kharadi will take on that. Imran Khedawala will highlight matters affecting minority communities. Jignesh Mevani will continue to challenge the government over its 'insensitive' actions. Kirit Patel, who is like an academician, knows his subject very well when it comes to discussions on any Bill in the House and Shailesh Parmar, like always, will take on the government on law and financial issues and question the government's accountability, forcing it to enforce the rules.'
Meanwhile, Chavda stated that despite taking charge at a 'difficult and challenging time', he would make sure it does not affect Congress workers. 'Wearing this crown of thorns, I will ensure these thorns do not hurt my workers, those who have given me this responsibility with the hope of defeating the BJP in 2027,' he added.
He also highlighted issues of employment among the youth, expensive education, fixed pay and contractual hiring, farmers' distress, apart from ones faced by small and medium traders, alleging that land mafia, mining mafia, education mafia, health mafia are running loose in Gujarat and corruption is seeped deep in the government where its own ministers have high stakes.
'Let us take the sankalp (oath) to eradicate all these from Gujarat and hoist the Congress flag in Gandhinagar in 2027. This is not only an oath to bring Congress as the ruling party but to end exploitation of people of Gujarat at the hands of BJP, to give them a respectable, safe and secure life,' he added.