AHMEDABAD, March 6: After winning the voters' mandate in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now faces a number of challenges, prime among which is the task of proving its ability to provide good governance.Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel has the unenviable job of forming a workable government. According to the trends so far, supporters of the Keshubhai-Narendra Modi combine have an upper hand in party affairs. If this continues, moderates like Suresh Mehta, Fakirbhai Vaghela, Jaynarayan Vyas and Bharat Barot, who reportedly had a difficult time during the election campaign, are likely to be a disgruntled lot.In fact, this group in the BJP is likely to be a vulnerable target for Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) leader and former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela. Perhaps keeping this in mind, the central party leadership requisitioned the services of Narendra Modi during the crucial phase of electioneering in the state.During his month-long stay in Gujarat, Modi strengthened his grip over the stateorganisation and paved the way for his return - to a more powerful position this time. He might even be given charge of the party's affairs in the state. Keshubhai Patel, who looks after the job at present, is likely to be asked to hand over the responsibility in the wake of his election as Chief Minister. In fact, Keshubhai was given charge of the party's affairs in Gujarat only after he was divested of the chief ministership in October 1995.The new chief minister will also have to accommodate important party leaders who are outside the Assembly either because they were not given party tickets or because they lost the elections. Moreover, the new but influential entrants from the Congress and other parties are likely to demand the chairmanship of government-owned boards and corporations.An intense power struggle between the old guard and the newcomers is likely to break out over the posts. And the state BJP leadership cannot afford to displease any of the two groups.Vaghela to playoverseer RJP chief Shankersinh Vaghela said he would observe the functioning of the Keshubhai-led BJP Government for 100 days, after which he would begin his struggle "to solve public problems". Vaghela said: "If the BJP succeeds in proving a single allegation against me, I will quit public life. Otherwise, Keshubhai should admit that the allegations were false".
