Problems for opposition Congress in Gujarat continue. Senior party leader and former Union Minister of State for Power Bharatsinh Solanki on Friday announced taking a short break from active politics.
The announcement comes two days after a video went viral in which he is seen with a girl. His second wife Reshma and her associates were also seen in the clip. Reshma is seen pulling a girl’s hair and asking her to show her face.
Solanki, 68, is the son of the late chief minister of Gujarat Madhavsinh Solanki, the proponent of the famous KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslims).
Of late he has been in the news over his personal life. His divorce petition with Reshma is in court. Both Reshma and Solanki had their versions of the story to say.
Solanki admitted that he would want to marry a third time after the divorce.
Speaking to THE WEEK, Solanki said a short break would mean till the dust around his family issue settles. When asked if this meant that he would not play a role in the 2022 assembly elections, Solanki said there are six months for the elections and it all depends on how things are then. He said if things settle fast, he would be back.
This is not the first time that Reshma's video has gone viral.
He said he had spoken to Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor.
The Congress leader said that he would continue to do social work and unite various sections of the society. He said his connection with the masses would remain.
Solanki was also recently in the news when he made a controversial statement that dogs peed on the bricks meant for the Ram Temple.
The Congress leader holds a considerable say in the party when it comes to deciding the candidates. Amit Chavda, Thakor's predecessor as the state's Congress president is related to Solanki.
In 2020, Solanki had battled COVID19 and post-COVID complications at a private hospital in Ahmedabad. He was discharged after 101 days.
