Shankersinh Vaghela, a former Gujarat Chief Minister who was the father of Gujarat when he left the party, is in talks with the Congress to return to the party almost nine years after he quit. Vaghela has said he is ready to join the Congress, but his return has not yet been officially announced. A meeting with Rahul Gandhi is more important to reach out to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of any final decision.
Vaghela told The Indian Express that he was prepared to join the Congress in the name of opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat. He has revived a conversation in Gujarat politics as political parties have to prepare for the forthcoming elections, including the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation election and the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections.
Rahul Gandhi meeting Could Decide Vaghela's Return
Vaghela has said a meeting with Rahul Gandhi remains important before his return is finalised. He has already spoken to senior Congress leaders such as AICC general secretary in charge of Gujarat Randeep Singh Surjewala, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and former Union minister Bharatsinh Solanki.
Congress leaders have also admitted that discussions are ongoing. Amit Chavda said that Vaghela and his supporters are in talks and that the final decision would be taken by the party's central leadership. However, neither the Gujarat Congress nor the party's central leadership has formally announced Vaghela's induction as of now.
The return will take place in the context of preparations for the 2027 Gujarat Assembly election. Vaghela has been working to revive his own political party, the Praja Shakti Democratic Party, and had said earlier he wanted to be active in Gujarat politics. Reports earlier in September said that he was preparing an organisational campaign that would start around October 2.
Shankersinh Vaghela's long political journey
He started his political career with Jana Sangh and later he was a significant player in the development of the BJP’s organisation in Gujarat.
His differences with BJP led him to form the Rashtriya Janata Party. Vaghela became Gujarat Chief Minister in 1996 with the support of the Congress. He remained there until 1997 and after that the Rashtriya Janata Party merged with the Congress in 1998.
During his time with the Congress Vaghela held several important positions. He was Union Cabinet Minister for Textiles under UPA government and was also Leader of Opposition in Gujarat assembly. It was in this respect that he had a political career both state and national.
Vaghela left Congress in 2017
Vaghela left the Congress in 2017 ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections. After leaving the Congress, he established the Jan Vikalp Morcha and tried to create an alternative political platform in the state.
He later joined the Nationalist Congress Party and played an organisational role before leaving that party as well. In December 2024 Vaghela created the Praja Shakti Democratic Party, another political platform through which he sought to remain active in Gujarat politics.
Earlier this month Vaghela had said that he was preparing to reactivate his political organisation and follow an independent political course ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. At this stage he was set to launch a very aggressive political campaign and had already expressed his intention to fight against the BJP.
No formal Congress Induction yet
The latest discussions are a change from Vaghela's position in September when he said his political outfit would proceed independently. Vaghela and Congress leaders have recently started talking, but not so much.
Vaghela has also said he isn’t seeking a party position as part of a possible re-entry. He has instead said he is ready to lend support to efforts against the BJP. Specific terms of any political deal, including whether he will formally join the Congress and what role he might play, remain to be determined.
For now, discussions are continuing, not a confirmed Congress re-entry. A meeting with Rahul Gandhi could be significant in deciding the next step, while the Gujarat Congress leadership continues consultations with the party's central leadership.
As the 2027 Gujarat Assembly election approaches, Vaghela's political plans will continue to be a topic of political discussion in the state. But until Congress makes a formal announcement, his return should be treated as something that is in the discussion, not a fact of fact, in view of the political situation in the state.
