BJP-Cong slugfest over choice of Dalit candidate

Legislators from both major parties, including CM Vijay Rupani, indulged in a slugfest over the candidature of a Dalit leader for presidential polls. The war of words broke out when the leaders came to vote at a polling booth in the secretariat complex on Monday.

After casting his vote, Rupani expressed that Congress had played the Dalit card on the issue. “In fact, the Congress has been playing the Dalit card for long and they did it when they had to nominate a candidate for the presidential polls. They never nominated a Dalit candidate for the post of President in the past, or when they were in power and their candidate could win. They fielded a Dalit candidate when they are on a losing streak. This shows the Congress has been using Dalits and their Dalit leaders for their political agenda only.”

Reacting to this, senior Congress MLA from Abdasa, Shaktisinh Gohil said, “The BJP does not have the right to utter a single word about Dalits. Have they ever tried to appoint a Dalit at any important position earlier? They fielded a Dalit candidate to cash in on political equations in poll-bound states. If they have so much regard for Dalits, …read more