Ahmedabad: Senior Congress leader and State party spokesperson Badruddin Sheikh who is also Councillor elected from Baherampura ward of city today resigned from all posts of party.

Sheikh told media persons that he had tendered his resignation as he was upset with selection of candidate by party leaders for Baherampura ward by-poll.

Sheikh said, as many as 17 local Congress workers from Baherampura area had submitted their bio-data, seeking party ticket for ward by-poll, however the party decided to field some retired AMC (Amdavad Municipal Corporation) official, who had not worked for the party anytime previously.

Sheikh said, representations were made in this regard upto State party president level, but there was no response.

Sheikh said, party should simply allocate tickets in all upcoming elections to IAS and IPS officers and avoid local party workers who have worked for the party for decades.

Sheikh said he was not insisting for any particular name, but only wishing that any of senior local party workers would be selected as candidate for by-poll.

Sheikh said he himself had been active in party for last over four decades, but party didn’t hear him for selection of candidate in his area.

Sheikh alleged that there was groupism in party.

Sheikh is at present State party spokesperson. Sheikh is considered one of most prominent Muslim faces of Congress party in Ahmedabad in particular. He had headed Congress party’s minority cell as early as in 1992. He had been leader of opposition in AMC.

Congress could win a few seats in AMC general election in 2015 and most of them were from Muslim populated areas. Badruddin is considered party’s one of prominent Muslim faces in city. He was in the past upset with the party for not giving him ticket to contest assembly election in any of two Muslim populated assembly seats in city.

DeshGujarat