Vaghela's political advisor ditches him, will contest election against chief minister

Niranjan Tolia, Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela's political adviser, has resigned from the post and announced his decision to contest the Radhanpur assembly by-election, scheduled for April 5.

Tolia, who developed sharp differences with Vaghela on various issues, tendered his resignation on Friday night.

Vaghela, Tolia alleged, was being controlled by ''some unscrupulous'' elements who were ''indulging in rampant corruption." He said he quit because he could not remain a mute spectator to all these developments. In fact, he claimed he had been feeling ''suffocated'' in Vaghela's company and had stopped attending office for quite sometime.

He announced his decision to file his nomination as an independent candidate for the Radhanpur by-election which will also feature Vaghela in the fray. Tolia said he wanted to expose Vaghela's ''four-month-old corrupt rule," and urged the Bharatiya Janata Party not to contest the seat, but instead support his candidature.

Suresh Mehta, former BJP chief minister and Opposition leader in the state assembly, however, claimed that Tolia had not yet resigned as Vaghela's adviser. He described the incident as Vaghela's ''evil design'' and urged the government to provide Tolia with adequate security as his life was in danger.

Resignation or no resignation, Mehta said the BJP would field a candidate in Radhanpur. His party, the former CM added, did not want to leave any loopholes open for Vaghela by not contesting the by-election.