Congress veteran Shankersinh Vaghela on Friday said he was sacked by the party 24 hours back.
“I was expelled 24 hours ago. My party has shown me the door…But I am still with the party, an upset Vaghela said during a massive rally held on the occasion of his birthday in Gandhinagar.
On Thursday, Vaghela had he will make an important announcement and share his "feelings" with his supporters.
Sulking for not having been given a free hand for the party's campaign for the state assembly election due later this year, the former chief minister on Thursday visited Delhi for some "personal" work.
Advertisement
Vaghela had earlier slammed the state Congress over "lack of homework" for the assembly polls.
When asked about the cross voting by Congress MLAs in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Vaghela claimed ignorance.
"I voted for UPA nominee Meira Kumar. I don't know about cross voting. My Delhi visit was purely personal. It was not political," he told reporters at the airport.
At least eight MLAs of the opposition Congress in BJP-ruled Gujarat appeared to have voted Kovind.
On Tuesday, Vaghela had announced that he would hold a mega gathering of his supporters on his 77th birthday (July 21) to share his "feelings" and give a message.
However, Vaghela had maintained that it was not a "show of strength" against the Congress leadership.
As the sudden move by him shook the state Congress, several leaders, including former state party president Siddharth Patel and AICC spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil, had met him and urged him not to announce his retirement at the event.
Vaghela had earlier said that all the 57 Congress MLAs along with two of NCP and one from JD(U) have been invited for the event in Gandhinagar.
Advertisement
On June 24, while addressing a meeting of his supporters in Gandhinagar, Vaghela had said he would not follow the Congress leadership if it continued on its present suicidal path in Gujarat, where elections are due this year.
"My problem with the party is they have done no planning to win Gujarat elections, when we know that it (elections) won't be delayed for even a month. Owners lack the foresight. They do not know what is going to happen tomorrow," he had said.
(With agency inputs)
