Gujarat Congress Moves HC Seeking Disqualification of Radhanpur MLA Alpesh Thakor

Gujarat Congress had moved the High Court on June 20 with an appeal to disqualify OBC leader and Radhanpur MLA Alpesh Thakor who won as a Congress candidate in Assembly election in 2017 and later resigned from the party during Lok Sabha election 2019.

Following which, a division bench of the Gujarat High Court on June 24 issued a notice in the matter to Alpesh Thakor and Rajendra Trivedi, Gujarat Assembly Speaker, seeking an explanation on the non-disqualification of Thakor despite his resignation from all positions as Congress party member.

Congress party has also alleged “anti-party” activity against Thakor who had shot to fame during Assembly election 2017 for reportedly mobilising OBC votes against BJP.

“We have submitted his resignation letter and proof of his anti-party activities in Banaskantha and Unjha Assembly constituencies. When Thakor tendered his resignation, he had stated in the letter that he shall be subsequently resigning from all posts held by him as a Congress party member. We did notify Rajendra Tiwari, the Speaker about the same but he (Thakor) hasn’t been disqualified yet. We have repeatedly represented the matter before the Speaker and then decided to move to the High Court,” stated Ashwin Kotwal, chief whip of Congress party in the Assembly.

Alpesh Thakor quit Congress party on April 10 this year during the Lok Sabha election 2019. Thakor, who was secretary of the All India Congress Committee and Bihar co-in charge of the party, had said after the resignation that he had been “betrayed by the Congress leadership and alleged that “there is no dignity as tickets are being sold for money by the party”.

Subsequently Thakor had quit from all the posts held by him as a member of Congress party except his membership of the Assembly. Following which Congres MLAs Ashwin Kotwal and Baldev Thakor had submitted a memorandum to DM Patel, the Secretary of Gujarat Assembly seeking disqualification of Alpesh Thakor.

The memorandum had stated that Thakor was elected on Congress’s ticket and since he had resigned from the party’s primary membership he no more remained a “Congressman” and hence should be disqualified from the membership of Assembly and a by-poll should be conducted for Radhanpur Assembly constituency.

Noticeably, Dhavalsinh Zala, MLA from Bayad seat and Bharatsinh Thakor from Becharaji seat who quit the party along with Thakor have also not resigned from their membership of the Assembly. Gujarat Congress is yet to declare party’s stand on the two MLAs.