Lok Sabha election: Will it be Amit Shah Vs Bapu in Gandhinagar?

AHMEDABAD: There was intense speculation in political circles that former Gujarat CM and ex-Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela will contest the 2019 general election from Gandhinagar, against BJP president Amit Shah . Vaghela, who quit Congress in 2017 and joined the NCP recently, however, said he will not contest from Gandhinagar or any other seat in Gujarat.

The Gujarat unit of the NCP, on the other hand, said Vaghela could contest either from Gandhinagar or Panchmahal, even as it is in talks with the Congress over seat sharing. The NCP has sought the Gandhinagar, Panchmahal and Porbandar seats in Gujarat.

"Reports of my contesting from Gandhinagar are not correct. I clarified last week that I will not contest the Lok Sabha election ," Vaghela said on Monday. He added, "I have not yet spoken to Sharad Pawar. I cannot say what will transpire after we have spoken. But I have said that I will not contest the coming elections."

Political circles were abuzz with talk of Vaghela contesting Gandhinagar, with the aim of dividing Congress votes in the constituency and helping Amit Shah win.

Gujarat NCP president Jayant Patel (Bosky) said that no may not always mean no in Bapu’s case. "It is possible that he (Vaghela) will contest either from Gandhinagar or Panchmahal. Bapu had earlier said that he would not join any party, but he joined the NCP. He is a senior leader and can decide on his candidature at any time. We are in talks with the Congress at the national level for seat sharing and in Gujarat, we are having discussions for Gandhinagar, Panchmahal and Porbandar. A seat sharing formula will be finalized soon."

Vaghela had contested the 2009 elections from Panchmahal and lost.

He had stood from Sabarkantha in 2014 and also lost.