MLAs of Congress belonging to the Koli community in Saurashtra held a meeting in the Circuit House on Wednesday and invited people from their community. Punja Vansh, a senior MLA from Una had taken the lead in gathering the community leaders and they tried to figure out the mood of the community after Kunvarji Bavaliya's exit.
Senior MLA Bavaliya quit Congress last week and joined Gujarat government's cabinet by the evening on the same day. The Congress party's concern has increased after the incident as it is believed that a huge chunk of the Koli community could stand by Bavaliya and may tend to vote for BJP in future elections.
The MLAs from the community who were present also include Somabhai Patel, Dr Rutvik Makwana, Vimal Chudasama, Bhikhabhai Baraiya, former minister Chandrika Chudasama, and former MLA Pravin Rathod. All these leaders tried to convince their community to stay loyal to Congress.
Talking to media persons, Vansh said, "After the exit of Bavaliya, it was necessary for us to know the mood of the people from our community and they all said unanimously that they would remain with Congress and not change their loyalty. People from our community are fed up with the BJP government as they have been unjust to our community."
Koli community falls in OBC category and constitutes almost 35 per cent of the total vote bank in Gujarat. The community has dominance over many seats in Saurashtra and south Gujarat region.
"There is no impact of Bavaliya's exit on Congress, as it is clear that he made the political bargaining for personal gains and betrayed the community. We are also going to make united efforts to make Congress win the Jasdan seat in the by-polls for the seat that became vacant with Bavaliya's exit," Vansh added.
