Party sources say the outcome is due to the selection process being initiated by the state Congress without taking the local leadership into consideration or confidence.

Prominent among those who have faxed their resignations to Gujarat state congress president Bharat Solanki, are Visavadar Taluka Congress unit president Ashok Vaghasia, Visavadar Nagarpalika's vice president and Brahmin samaj leader Harubhai Joshi, Nagar palika's Working committee's chairman Jiwaraj Kapadia and Congress Councillor Gunwantiben Dabhi. Former office bearers Sattarbhai Metar, Kanti Chauhan, Chanabhai Dafada, Pirkhan Pathan have also resigned from the party along with a dozen active Congressmen.

“The party leadership hasn't contacted us, and without considering the prominent local leaders, the party has started choosing candidates for the forthcoming nagar palika election. We have been opposing this move and the state leadership's style of functioning," said a Congress leader.

"Unless we will be taken into confidence, the move (to choose candidate) will prove disastrous for the party. Ignoring the local leadership is undemocratic," he added.