A major political realignment appears to be taking shape in Gujarat as veteran leader and former Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela has signaled his intention to return to the Congress after nearly a decade away. At 86 years of age, the influential figure, widely known among supporters as Bapu, has stepped forward to assist the principal opposition in challenging the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Vaghela stated that he is neither seeking party posts nor personal advancement, emphasizing that his sole motivation is utilizing his extensive public experience to strengthen the opposition bench.
Crucial Talks Hinge On A Rahul Gandhi Meeting
Discussions regarding his potential induction into the party organisation have reached an advanced phase with top central and state strategists. Vaghela has held direct deliberations with Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Gujarat, state Congress president Amit Chavda, and former union minister Bharatsinh Solanki. Even so, he maintained that any formal return will proceed strictly after a personal dialogue with the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
On September 29, Vaghela publicly reiterated his readiness to link arms with the Congress to unseat the current government. He disclosed that he had initially approached Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the previous state in-charge Mukul Wasnik around six months ago, but received no response at the time. The diplomatic process gained substantial momentum only after Surjewala took over organizational duties from Wasnik earlier this month.
Final Electoral Opportunity In 2027
Viewing the 2027 state assembly polls as his closing opportunity to leave a lasting mark on state politics, Vaghela had previously drafted plans to launch an energetic mobilization starting October 2 to revive the Praja Shakti Democratic Party. Outlining his thoughts, he explained that the upcoming assembly contest represents his last active outing, recognizing that health and age will limit his future public participation. Following encouraging signals from Congress interlocutors, he agreed to shelve the scheduled relaunch of his independent platform.
Divided Reactions Across The Party Ranks
Within Congress circles, the strategic value of bringing back the seasoned politician continues to generate differing reactions. Speaking to reporters on September 29, Amit Chavda underlined that the organization has already initiated comprehensive preparations for the 2027 assembly battle. He indicated that several disaffected leaders will soon join hands with the Congress on public platforms to mount a combined effort for political change in the state.
Echoing an inclusive tone, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi observed that citizens increasingly perceive Rahul Gandhi as a steadfast national leader protecting democratic institutions and the Constitution, prompting the party to welcome aligned voices. Despite those receptive messages, an influential section of the leadership remains wary due to the turbulent manner in which Vaghela severed ties with the party in 2017.
The Shadow Of The 2017 Rebellion
Vaghela dramatically announced his departure from the Congress on his 77th birthday, right on the doorstep of a high-stakes Rajya Sabha contest. In that cliffhanger election, the late Ahmed Patel, who served as political secretary to current Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, barely scraped through with a narrow victory margin. Vaghela was serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Gujarat assembly at the time.
Just four days before stepping down, questions had surfaced over cross-voting during the presidential election, in which at least eight Congress lawmakers allegedly supported Ram Nath Kovind, who went on to secure a decisive two-thirds majority. The bitterness generated by those exits, accompanied by defections of regional legislators, left enduring scars that continue to provoke wariness among legacy party managers.
Rebuilding From A Shrunken Legislative Footprint
The strategic debate comes against the backdrop of the party's historic performance in the 2017 assembly elections, where the Congress secured 77 out of 182 assembly seats amid the Hardik Patel-led Patidar quota agitation, representing its best return since the BJP first captured power in 1995. However, that electoral high water mark was followed by steady attrition over consecutive election cycles.
Today, the party holds just 12 members in the 182-seat legislative assembly, leaving it without sufficient strength to claim the formal Leader of the Opposition designation. The party drew complete blanks in the parliamentary rounds of 2014 and 2019 across Gujarat, before finally breaking its drought in 2024 with a solitary victory in Banaskantha, presently represented by Geniben Thakor. As municipal corporation elections approach in Gandhinagar and assembly polls loom ahead, Vaghela's enduring appeal among rural communities and Kshatriya-OBC demographics represents an equation the opposition is weighing with great deliberation.
