Keshubhai quits BJP,to float new party

“The central leadership never paid heed to my worries and has turned a deaf ear to my pleas to do something about the decline in the party in Gujarat…nobody was willing to listen to me,then what else could I do?” Patel asked. Rana,who echoed Patel’s sentiments,said they were forwarding their resignation letters to BJP president Nitin Gadkari.

While Rana had been sidelined in the party and was in political hibernation,Patel has consistently voiced his displeasure at what he calls is the style of functioning of Chief Minister Narenda Modi. He had indicated that he would quit the party by not renewing his party membership. Rana too did not renew his membership in the recent membership renewal drive where renewal was compulsory. In recent days,Patel had even described Modi’s tenure as a “mini emergency”.

Patel,who was leader of opposition during Congress rule in Gujarat,went on to become the first BJP chief minister in 1995 when the party captured power for the first time in the state. But he faced a revolt and had to make way for Suresh Mehta within eight months. He returned as chief minister in 1998 and was in the post until October 2001 when he was unceremoniously ousted to make way for Modi.

Meanwhile,Zadaphia said his party had not decided to merge with the party Keshubhai plans to float. “We will take a decision on this in a few days and at present,there is no such thing on our minds,” Zadaphia said.