Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela is in talks to rejoin Congress nearly a decade after leaving. The 86-year-old leader said, "To throw out the BJP government, I am ready to join." He discussed this with senior party members and now awaits a meeting with Rahul Gandhi before any formal decision.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela is in discussions with Congress leaders over a possible return to the party, nearly a decade after he left the organisation.
The 86-year-old leader said that he was ready to join the Congress and had discussed the possibility with AICC general secretary in-charge of Gujarat Randeep Singh Surjewala, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and former Union minister Bharatsinh Solanki. However, Vaghela said his return would take place only after a meeting with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
"To throw out the BJP government, I am ready to join (the Congress)," Vaghela said, according to the report. He also said he was not seeking anything from the party and wanted to contribute to its efforts.
The development comes ahead of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections and the 2027 Gujarat Assembly polls. Vaghela had earlier announced plans to revive the Praja Shakti Democratic Party, which he launched in 2020, and begin an "aggressive campaign" from October 2. In September, he had described the 2027 Assembly election as his last opportunity to remain politically active.
Vaghela left the Congress in 2017 after a long political association with the party. He had earlier served as Gujarat chief minister from 1996 to 1997 and subsequently held the post of Union minister in the UPA government.
His political career has included associations with the Jan Sangh, BJP and Congress, besides periods in which he formed or led his own political organisations. He also served as Leader of the Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly.
The possibility of Vaghela returning to the Congress has been discussed on several occasions in recent years. In 2022, he had said that talks were underway over his possible return, while also ruling out joining the BJP.
This time, however, Vaghela has indicated that discussions are taking place directly with senior Congress leaders. His proposed meeting with Rahul Gandhi is expected to be an important step before any formal decision is announced.
For now, there has been no formal announcement from either Vaghela or the Congress confirming his return to the party. The discussions come as Congress prepares its organisational and electoral strategy in Gujarat ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.