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Alpesh Thakor ended weeks of speculation about his future as a Gujarat Congress MLA on Saturday, 9 March, when he declared that he will continue with the Grand Old Party, while admitting that he had considered changing sides for power.
In a press conference held in Ahmedabad, Alpesh said he was confused about the path to take as he wanted power and a minister’s post.
“I am being honest, I wanted to become a minister and I did work towards it. When I thought positively towards moving to the BJP, I did remember how I won the elections in 2017 and how the people’s mandate instructed me to be with the Congress,” he added.
Alpesh went on to say that he needed the power to help his poor voters get proper houses, education and jobs, for which it is necessary to be part of a strong government.
“I am not greedy for power, if that was the case, I could have become a minister six months ago. But I don’t want such power where the woes of the poor man is not heard," he told media persons.
He also wanted to lay rest to claims that he was seeking a ticket for his wife.
Meanwhile, another MLA was disqualified by the Speaker after he was convicted in an illegal land mining case, though a district court has put a stay on his two years and nine month prison sentence.
As a leader of the OBC Ekta Manch, Alpesh Thakor managed to remain in the limelight during the reservation strife started by the Patidars in Gujarat. He reached the peak of his political career when he won the Radhanpur constituency on a Congress ticket in the 2017 Assembly Elections.
The situation had escalated severely and fingers were pointed at Alpesh from within the Congress as well as the BJP for causing public disharmony. To make amends, Alpesh went on a day-long fast and pleaded with the members of his community to help North Indian labourers return to the state.
Soon, he was appointed the AICC Secretary of Bihar for the upcoming elections. Recently, Thakor had met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and conveyed his displeasure against the functioning of the party's state leadership.
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