Congressman Gilitwala quits Assembly seat; submits letter to Speaker

Gandhinagar, Sep 6 (UNI) Senior Congress MLA Manish Natwarlal Gilitwala today submitted his resignation letter to the Gujarat State Assembly Speaker Mangaldas Patel after the party served him a showcause notice.

''I am happy to submit my resignation from the State Assembly. I am doing it on my own without pressure or intimidation. Please accept it,'' said Mr Gilitwala, an MLA from Surat City East to Mr Patel amid high drama.

Standing outside the Speaker's chamber, Mr Gilitwala, with scores of his supporters said his ''heart and soul'' is now with the BJP, which he would formally join during the 'Surat Sammelan' to be held shortly, where Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders will be present.

On last Monday, he had couriered his resignation letter to Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Bharatsinh Solanki after the party served him a show-cause notice.

He said he could win elections not because of any party affiliation but because the youth and his 'samaj' were behind him.

Coming down heavily on the state of affairs in the Congress, Mr Gilitwala said the infighting is rife in the Congress and the Congressmen are only after power. Seniors were being insulted and they did not get respect due to them, while juniors were being encouraged.

''Congress through its propaganda is misguiding everyone,'' he alleged, adding, ''the approach of the Congress is to play obstructive politics.'' Flaying Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Arjun Modhwadia, Mr Gilitwala said he does not respect seniors in the party. If he has the guts, let him contest from Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace of Porbandar and then see the result.'' To a question, why did he resign from the assembly now with only four months left for the elections, he said even during the last Assembly Session, he had not uttered a single word. ''I was quiet as I was very unhappy.'' To another query, he said he does not want to join the BJP to secure a ticket and added that if the party wants him to contest, he would do so.

UNI