A day after the BJP served a showcause notice to Keshubhai Patel, the former Chief Minister responded in minimal words on Saturday, terming his treatment at the hands of the party high command as “undignified”. Speaking to reporters, Keshubhai said he expected the party to at least call him to Delhi and seek his explanation before serving him the notice. “They could have extended the courtesy of calling me to Delhi and given a hearing,” he said. The showcause notice, meanwhile, set off churnings in the BJP’s state unity on Saturday with three leaders — ex-MP Dr A K Patel, former minister Arvind Patel and former Surat mayor Fakir Chauhan — resigning from the party even as many other disgruntled activists contemplated the next move. A few BJP workers in Surat also quit the BJP. The BJP, in turn, suspended six party workers, including the three who had given their resignations.Keshubhai’s supporters expressed confidence about the Congress dislodging the Modi Government. Dissident leaders Suresh Mehta and Gordhan Zadaphia said they were working on many lines to make sure that Modi’s BJP was finished in the state. “We are the real BJP. Let’s see how things pan out after counting. We are sure about victory of the Congress,” Mehta said. The rebel leaders held a series of meetings at the residence of Mehta in Gandhinagar in which Keshubhai Patel was also present.The rebels claimed that in the BJP’s list of 182 contestants, they have as many as 22 candidates who would form a captive bank of MLAs in case the BJP managed to come to power again — enough to keep Modi on tenterhooks. They, however, did not give the names of the likely dissidents of the new Assembly.
