Modi ministers queue up for damage control

After Union Textile Minister and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela8217;s visit to Keshubhai Patel8217;s residence last night, the Narend...

After Union Textile Minister and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela8217;s visit to Keshubhai Patel8217;s residence last night, the Narendra Modi camp today set in motion a damage control exercise to placate the rebel BJP leader.

About a dozen ministers loyal to Chief Minister Modi visited Patel today, including Education Minister Anandiben Patel, who8212;perhaps for the first time8212;used the occasion of Raksha Bandhan to tie a rakhi to Keshubhai.

The ministers said they were visiting Keshubhai only to inquire about the health of his ailing wife, Leelaben. But sources in the rebel camp said this was 8216;8216;a move to placate our leader8217;8217;, who remains steadfast in his resolve to have Modi removed.

In the first batch to reach Keshubhai8217;s house were ministers I K Jadeja, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Bharat Barot and Ramanlal Vora8212;they spent about an hour with him. Anandiben came next with her rakhi, in the afternoon. And in the evening, ministers Ashok Bhatt, Amit Shah, Kaushik Patel and Saurabh Patel followed.

A close Keshubhai aide said some of the senior ministers loyal to Modi had broached the topic of his campaign to have the chief minister replaced. But their placatory gestures were in vain, the aide added.

Keshubhai is also learnt to have dispelled speculation triggered by Vaghela8217;s visit to his residence last night. He said Vaghela had only come to inquire about the health of Keshubhai8217;s wife.

Party sources said BJP president L K Advani, too, is likely to call on Keshubhai when he visits the state this weekend.

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Keshubhai8217;s residence has become the epicentre of hectic political activity after he returned from the US with his wife on Monday. About 50 MLAs and MPs 8216;8216;unhappy with Chief Minister Narendra Modi8217;s style of functioning8217;8217; had visited Keshubhai8217;s residence on August 16 to 8216;8216;inquire about his wife8217;s health8217;8217; who had undergone a by-pass surgery recently.

The meeting at his residence soon turned into a show of strength against Modi with several workers raising slogans and an MLA from Amreli, Bechar Badani, demanding a leadership change.