Modi hate hits another BJP ace

It isn8217;t only former Revenue Minister Haren Pandya who is on the hatelist of Narendra Modi and paying for it. Thrice unbeaten from Jamn...

It isn8217;t only former Revenue Minister Haren Pandya who is on the hatelist of Narendra Modi and paying for it. Thrice unbeaten from Jamnagar, sitting MLA Parmanand Khattar too hasn8217;t got a ticket. All because Modi does not like him.

Things soured between the two in 1995 when Khattar was one of the 45 MLAs who supported Shankersinh Vaghela in his bid to topple the Keshubhai Patel government. Khattar went to Khajuraho with Vaghela but did not part ways with BJP.

With the BJP giving him a ticket in the 1998 Assembly polls, it seemed as if all was forgiven by the party. But sources say the forgiveness doesn8217;t stretch as far as Modi. When Modi became CM, he took away Khattar8217;s Urban Development portfolio in October 2001. Now, Khattar is being denied the ticket for Jamnagar, a seat he has been holding since the last three terms. Vasuben Trivedi has been fielded instead.

Jamnagar city BJP unit president Hiten Bhatt says, 8216;8216;When Modi removed Khattar from his ministry, the writing was on the wall.8217;8217; Said another city BJP member, 8216;8216;There are couple of reasons for which Modi never liked Khattar. First was the fact that he8217;d backed Vaghela. And though he did not ever part ways with the BJP, he is known as Keshubhai8217;s man.8217;8217;

But Khattar hasn8217;t given up and is still lobbying with senior leaders in Gandhinagar. 8216;8216;Initially I had supported Vaghela, but I have always been loyal to the BJP,8217;8217; he says. Asked why he was denied a ticket, Khattar was non-committal. 8216;8216;You should asked the senior leaders why I was denied the ticket,8217;8217; he says. Denying rumours that he would contest the polls as an Independent, Khattar says, 8216;8216;I am loyal to BJP. I will only contest on a BJP ticket.8217;8217; Insiders say Khattar8217;s distance from RSS has gone against him, with the city BJP unit 8212; including chief Hiten Bhatt, a staunch RSS worker 8212; backing Trivedi and not him.

Bhatt says: 8216;8216;He has never attended a single RSS activity. We have been campaigning in the Jodiya-Dhrol region of Jamangar district but Khattar has never attended any programmes. Vasuben does.8217;8217;