Italia no-show in Gandhinagar as Amrutiya waits for faceoff
BJP
MLA from Morbi, Kantilal Amrutiya, and newly elected AAP MLA Gopal Italia turned out to be a no-show on Monday, as Italia did not appear at the state capital.
The exchange of barbs between the ruling BJP and AAP intensified after AAP leaders claimed they would replicate their Visavadar bypoll victory in Morbi. In response, Amrutiya challenged Italia to resign from his post and offered to resign himself to pave the way for a contest in Morbi.
On Monday, Amrutiya arrived at the Gandhinagar secretariat with a large group of supporters. "I waited until noon outside the secretariat, but Gopal Italia did not come.
Even now, if Italia announces his resignation as Visavadar MLA, I will resign too and contest against him from Morbi," Amrutiya declared before departing.
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In reaction, AAP leader Pravin Ram dismissed Amrutiya's gesture as a "diversionary tactic", aimed at distracting attention from issues such as the Gambhira bridge collapse, damaged roads, and the MNREGA scam.
"The govt itself should resign, not Kantilal Amrutiya. Gopal Italia has not personally challenged Amrutiya for a contest in Morbi. In fact, Italia has not even been sworn in as an MLA yet," Ram said.
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