Congress will fight 2022 Gujarat assembly polls with strength: Raghu Sharma

Newly appointed Congress in-charge for Gujarat, Raghu Sharma, on Saturday said he would make sure that his party fights the upcoming assembly elections in the state with strength and comes out victorious.

He said despite having been a common party worker, the Congress party trusted him with the responsibility and it would be his resolve that a change comes in Gujarat.

''Strategy would be that the party stands strongly, fights election strongly...with agitational and training programmes, the party forms the government in coming times,'' Sharma told reporters during a presser.

Sharma holds medical and health department portfolio in Rajasthan government and his appointment as incharge ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat in 2022 is seen as a hint towards a possible reshuffle in Rajasthan government cabinet.

He will be on a three-day tour to Gujarat to meet party leaders and workers.

Sharma said: ''I am not a son of any big political leader and don't have a background of any political family. I am a common grassroots party worker. Party has trusted me and given the responsibility so I am also going with a resolve that a change is seen in Gujarat.'' Asked about his priorities and possible cabinet expansion in Rajasthan, Sharma said his priority was Congress party and its organisation.

The decision on cabinet expansion lies in the hands of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. ''I am a party worker and I will implement the orders given by the party high command. We have come to work for the party. We are in power so it is not necessary for me to be on Minister post,'' he said.

Replying to a question on how Congress would tackle sitting BJP government in Gujarat, he said that there has been no development, governance and performance in the state.

''If there would have been governance or development, what was the need to change Chief Minister, Deputy CM. If the BJP has accepted that it has proved useless and has not performed then they should apologise to the people of the state,'' Sharma said.

He said the BJP should give reasons as to why the CM was changed and the state cabinet reshuffled.

The BJP has formed the government by unconstitutional means in Gujarat in 2017 with the support of 18 Congress MLAs, he said.

''Now, the MLAs who were given portfolio in BJP government in Gujarat too have been ousted,'' he said.

Asked about speaking with Gehlot, who was earlier the in-charge of Gujarat Congress, he said he is yet to do that.

''He is a senior party senior leader and will seek his advice whenever needed,'' Sharma said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)