Double Whammy For Congress: Vaghela Quits, Ambika Wants ‘Less Burden’

In a double-whammy for the Congress party, two stalwarts - former Gujarat CM Shankar Sinh Vaghela and AICC general secretary Ambika Soni - have jolted the Congress high command. While Vaghela quit the party, Ambika wanted the party to ''lessen her burden'' citing health reasons.

A sulking Vaghela formally announced his resignation from the party. "I am a free bird now," he told a huge gathering of his supporters at his 77th birthday celebrations. The announcement comes days after 11 MLAs, all his supporters, voted for the BJP candidate in the presidential elections.

He, however, was careful not to reveal his future plans. But, he asserted that he has no plans to retire from politics at the moment. There is intense speculation fueling speculation that he may return to the BJP, his mother party.

Vaghela has been sulking ever since the Congress refused to announce him as the face of the party in the upcoming elections. His immediate plan appears to be to defeat Congress biggie Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections. He told his supporters that he would resign as an MLA after Rajya Sabha elections.

Ambika Soni, another Congress loyalist said she had asked the leadership to lighten her duties due to her health. Soni, who is incharge of the party affairs in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. says she was finding it difficult to travel in these states. She further added that she had told the party leadership last year that Himachal Pradesh goes to polls later this year and it was difficult to travel in the three hill states due to her health.