BJP suffers blow as Suresh Mehta decides to quit

Mehta, a close associate of Keshubhai, has often criticised Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his “dictatorial style” of functioning. Mehta’s resignation is being perceived as a “calculated move” by the rebel party to embarrass BJP’s poll managers before the elections.

At the meeting between Mehta, Rana and Keshubhai today, the three leaders are learnt to have discussed a possible poll strategy to help BJP rebels pip the ballot against the party’s official candidates. Mehta said, “Keshubhai has consistently said he will not campaign for the BJP. He will never go back on this despite the false propaganda by BJP leaders like Arun Jaitley and Prakash Javdekar.”

After meeting the Patel leader, Mehta met rebel Gordhan Zadaphiya and other rebels in Ahmedabad. Among others, former BJP minister Arvind Patel, the elder brother of Minister of State for Industries Anil Patel, was also present. Former minister and suspended MLA Zadaphiya said, “We will launch a concerted oust-Modi campaign from Saturday, holding jan jagran (public awareness) meetings in all 58 Assembly constituencies spread over Saurashtra and Kutch regions. These will be under the banner of the Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti.”

He said, Keshubhai will however, not be a part of this campaign. Others like Suresh Mehta, MPs Vallabh Kathiria and Somabhai Patel, former Union Minister Dr A K Patel and K D Jeswani will address the jan jagran sammelans. “We plan to hold as many as 120 such meetings all over the state till December 14. We will tell voters, mainly farmers and the poor rural masses, how hollow Modi’s claims are on development and progress in Gujarat,” Zadaphiya added.