SURAT, March 13: The Bharatiya Janata Party has suspended municipal councillor Kamleshbhai Sailor for six years for trying to sabotage party candidates' prospects in the recent Assembly and Parliamentary elections and also for working for the Rashtriya Janata Party candidate.State president Vajubhai Vala suspended Sailor from the Rander Jahangirabad Jahangirpura Pisad (Ward No 31) on Surat unit president Arvind Godiwala's recommendation. Sailor, a business partner of former Environment Minister Bhagubhai Patel, was charged with working against the party's Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates. Rander ward convenor Bakul Patel had given a written complaint against Sailor accusing him of working for the RJP candidate from Olpad Assembly, Patel and Surat Lok Sabha constituency.On receiving complaints against Sailor, a show cause notice was served to him by Godiwala on March 5 asking him answer within three days why he should not be suspended from the primary party membership. However, Godiwala was unsatisfiedwith Sailor's reply submitted on March 6. Sailor said he had family and business ties with Patel much before he defected to the RJP. Sailor claimed that he did not campaign for Patel and their meeting was always for business purpose. Sailor explained, he was busy with his work and hence could not devote much time to campaign for the BJP.Sailor's suspension has proved that the division among the party ranks along the Hajuria-Khajuria lines is very much evident. Godiwala's recommendation to Vala, both Hajurias, was accepted and acted upon in less than four days.That hardliners still hold an upper hand in the party affairs is apparent from Sailor's case, who is not the first person to share dais at functions organised by the RJP or to mingle with its activists.Similar recommendations sent by former mayor and former city president Fakirbhai Chauhan, a Khajuria, were never considered. During his presidentship Chauhan had recommended suspension of Katargam-Ashwanikumar councillor Hirabhai Gangani, formercouncillor Jagdish Patel and Pratap Rathod for their RJP connections.The recommendations were made more than a year-and-a-half ago. While Patel and Rathod went on to join the RJP, Gangani is very much with the BJP. All that Chauhan said all along was he had sent the recommendation to the party president and was waiting for some action.Even after Godiwala replaced Chauhan as city president, Gangani continues to be in the party despite openly cocking a snook at the local leadership. He was seen at every RJP functions before he was bedridden after being attacked by goons last year. He was even seen screening visitors when Shankersinh Vaghela's flying cabinet held its meeting in Surat on June 11.On his part, Godiwala claims he was never given report of Gangani's activities by his predecessor and hence has not taken any action against him. But Chauhan said his recommendation is still lying with the state president.While, former mayor Ajit Desai said the party was trying to send a signal thatindiscipline won't be tolerated, a source close to Sailor said he had to pay because of his association with Chauhan.
