GANDHINAGAR: It was Shanker singh Vaghela’s day on Tuesday with the culmination of his yearlong struggle for power. He was elected leader of the MJP legislature party, the Gujarat Congress extended unconditional support to him and the Center recommended lifting of President’s rule to pave way for his installation as Chief Minister. Yet, Vaghela will have to endure the suspense till after 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning when the Gujarat High Court takes up for hearing a petition by a BJP MLA seeking to restrain the Governor from administering him the oath of office. Even as preparations were on for the swearing in ceremony, expected to take place sometime after 10 am, the BJP went knocking at the High Court doors through MLA Govardhan Jhadafia, in a last-ditch bid to prevent Vaghela’s ascension.
A division bench of the court comprising Justices R.A. Mehta and M.S. Shah issued notices to Governor K.P. Singh the Advocate General of Gujarat and fixed hearing for 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The petitioner sought the court’s directives to declare the Governor’s letter (dated October 20) inviting both the MJP and the BJP to parade MLAs at Raj Bhawan as unconstitutional, ultra vires and to issue orders for the restoration of the BJP government. The petition also prayed that the Governor should be forbidden from taking any further steps and that the Assembly should be revived, Raj Bhavan did not make any official announcement about the swearing in perhaps because the proclamation revoking central rule had not been signed by President S.D. Sharma. Sharma was in Hyderabad and the Center, soon after the Cabinet’s decision to revoke central rule, dispatched two officers there to have the papers signed. But preparations were apace in Gandhi agar and sources confirmed that the administration and the police have, been alerted to make arrangements for the same by 10 a.m. The day began well for Vaghela. All the 52 legislators supporting the MJP, including the 13 Independents, declared their unflinching faith in Vaghela. Only a little earlier, three more BJP MLAs and four Independents pledged support to Vaghela boosting his support to 101 in the House (43 MJP, 45 Cong, 13 Independents), The three BJP MLAs who switched their loyalties were Girish Parmar, Ratan ji Patel and Ram ji Parmer, while the four Independents were Mulrasjsinh Parmar, Bhurra Munja. Usmangapi Devidwalaand Govindbhai Chauhan. Immediately, thereafter the Congress Legislature Party met in Ahmedabad and decided to extend him support after initial murmurs and communicated its decision to Governor in writing. Vaghela then met the Governor to stake claim for forming the government. Soon after his election. Vaghela declared at a news conference that he would give a “transparent, stable and result orientated” government.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 23, 1996
