Keshubhai, family stay away from voting

Keshubhai Patel on Tuesday put an official stamp on his displeasure with the ruling BJP establishment by not turning up to vote in the first phase of polling for the Gujarat elections, along with his entire family. Patel has made no attempt to hide his differences with Modi and in the run-up to the elections, advertisements appeared in newspapers appealing to the people to “oust the dictator” in the name of an organisation with which he has been affiliated.

On polling day, Patel chose to remain in Gandhinagar instead of hometown Rajkot. Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala is contesting from Rajkot II. “My father would not come to vote. No one from our family is coming to vote,” said Bharat Patel, when contacted.