Mumbai: Gujarat was among the first states where the Congress harnessed the power of social media in the 2012 assembly polls to counter the campaign of Narendra Modi, then the Gujarat chief minister. Although the party lost that election, there was one new name that gained prominence internally for driving the Congress’ social media presence in the state — Rohan Gupta.
The same leader’s name has now become a subject of embarrassment within the Gujarat Congress.
Earlier this week, Gupta, whose name the party’s leadership had announced as its candidate from the Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha constituency for the upcoming parliamentary poll, bowed out of the race citing his father’s health.
He announced his decision on the social media platform X, sharing a copy of his letter to Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil Monday. Gupta was one of the 43 candidates that the Congress had announced on 12 March.
Behind Gupta’s decision is the tale of a father-son feud, much drama, and even whispers about the leader’s erstwhile business links with an entrepreneur said to be close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gupta’s father, Rajkumar Gupta, was once an MLA in the state and had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election in 2004.
“Rohan Gupta wanted to contest the election in 2019 too, but didn’t get a ticket. This time, he did get the party’s nomination, but his father did not want him to contest. Perhaps he knew that chances of victory are slim. Moreover, Rohan Gupta has not worked his way ground up in the state, and directly hobnobbed at the national level. So, there was no guarantee of any support from the ground level,” a senior Congress functionary who has worked closely with Rohan Gupta told ThePrint.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Gupta said it was a very difficult decision for him as he was all set to contest the poll this time, and that his withdrawal should not be seen from a political lens.
“I had decided to fight knowing it won’t be an easy seat. But, my father was in the hospital for three days. He was not convinced (that I should contest). Fifteen years ago, he had to undergo a bypass surgery. I tried very hard to convince him (now). Yesterday, when I was in a meeting, I heard of his resignation from the party…. We fought a little bit, and he fell unconscious. I immediately went to the hospital. His only condition was that I had to give in writing that I will not contest, only then he will talk. I know that this will impact my political career, but I don’t think any greed can be more than respect for your father,” Rohan told media persons.
Hiren Banker, Gujarat Congress spokesperson, told ThePrint that Rohan’s father’s health has been delicate for a few years now.
“Rajkumarji thought that since his son is national spokesperson (of the Congress) with organisational experience in different states, the party can use Rohanji in other positions rather than making him an MP in charge of just one constituency,” he said.
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Rohan Gupta’s growth within Congress
Rajkumar Gupta was an MLA from Janata Morcha party before he joined the Congress. Party leaders say he served as the Ahmedabad City Congress president and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Ahmedabad constituency in 2004.
“Rohan Gupta became associated with the party actively after 2010. A little after that, the Gujarat Congress set up a new cell for social media and created a network across the state. He was smart, educated, and willing to work, and was given the responsibility of driving the initiative. Over the next few years, our IT cell became the role model for every Pradesh Congress Committee and he travelled to different states, helped set up similar cells and train people,” a second senior Gujarat Congress functionary said.
The Guptas were close to veteran Congress leader, the late Ahmed Patel, and Rohan’s work on social media cells put him in touch with the national leadership of the party.
However, Rohan would often have conflicts with the Congress’ then head of social media, actor Divya Spandana.
In 2019, Rohan Gupta took over as the party’s national social media head, and in just three years was replaced by Supriya Shrinate without any reason ascribed for the switch. The decision, however, came following an unsavoury controversy over his family’s links with a supposed aide of Amit Shah.
According to Congress sources, Rohan is said to be in the good books of K.C. Venugopal, Congress general secretary, and was accommodated as an All India Congress Committee spokesperson, making him a frequent face on national television debates.
Controversial links
The Guptas own the Comet Group of companies, which has businesses related to manufacturing of paper products and chemicals. The family also owns an insurance broking business and runs a charity, the Gujarat Lok Seva Trust.
Gujarat Congress leaders say that Rohan had to do considerable firefighting internally when his family members’ names cropped up in a business promoted by Ajay Patel, chairman of Gujarat State Cooperative Bank and Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank. His wife Yogita and brother Arpan were said to be investors in Sunbirds Infrabuild, a limited liability partnership.
Rohan had told The Indian Express that his wife and brother had resigned from the firm as soon as they realised it was promoted by Ajay Patel.
Patel, said to be a confidante of Amit Shah, had filed a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2018 for his remarks on the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank in relation to demonetisation, alleging it had benefited Amit Shah.
Gujarat Congress sources said that in the past few days, too, there have been talks of the Guptas being in touch with BJP leaders.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Rohan Gupta said, “There are some leaders, I don’t know at whose behest they are saying all this. Those who are showing me the rule book, I would like to say till date I have never spoken negatively about anyone. Even when I am in debates, I never make any personal criticism. Don’t mistake my humility to be my compulsion.”
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Banker said the alleged link with Amit Shah’s aide is just a distraction tactic being pushed by the BJP.
“When a party declares a candidate, the entire party machinery and people pull their weight behind him or her. So, when a candidate withdraws there are bound to be some rumblings. Rohan Gupta comes from a business community, and in business and politics, such allegations are part of the game. But, if it was anything serious, the party wouldn’t have given him a ticket,” Banker said.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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