“Under Modi, the party has lost its identity and moved far away from its ideologies and principles”
The former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, one of the founder-leaders of the BJP in the State, and the former Union Minister, Kashiram Rana, on Saturday announced their resignations from the BJP to float a new party to contest the coming Assembly elections.
The resignations had been sent to party president Nitin Gadkari, they said.
Announcing their resignations, Mr. Patel said the new party to be announced on Sunday would be the “real BJP.” He said the people of the State were unhappy with the BJP’s functioning, where an individual — Chief Minister Narendra Modi — was considered more important than the organisation.
“Will find the real BJP”
“We are quitting the parent organisation that we both served for nearly six decades with a heavy heart. In reality, we are not quitting the BJP, but rather we will find the ‘real BJP’ as the party under Mr. Modi has lost its identity and moved far away from its ideologies and principles towards personal glorification, reducing the party organisation to an obscure corner,” he said.
Mr. Patel, who had been attacking Mr. Modi for the last few months — going to the extent of comparing him with Hitler and calling the decade-old Modi regime a “total misrule” — had made his intentions to quit the BJP clear a long time ago if his demand for a change of leadership was not considered. He had recently visited Delhi and called on the Central leaders to press his demand, but having received no response he finally decided to part ways with the parent organisation.
Eighty-four-year-old Mr. Patel was credited with building up the erstwhile Jana Sangh and later the BJP in the State along with another former Chief Minister, Shankarsinh Waghela. Mr. Waghela too quit the BJP, also in protest against the prominence given to Mr. Modi, and formed a new party which merged with the Congress about a decade ago.
Mr. Rana, the Textiles Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet, was also among the veteran party leaders in the State sidelined completely for the last eight years or so.
Powerful leader
One of the most respected politicians in the State and adored by the BJP rank and file, Mr. Patel is considered the most powerful leader of the numerically strong “Patel” community, which can shift the balance in the electoral battles.
His departure is unlikely to have much impact on the BJP set-up since he had been marginalised for long.
On the eve of the 2007 Assembly elections, another former Chief Minister, Suresh Mehta, quit the BJP, also in protest against Mr. Modi’s total control over both the party and the government, but did not join any party. He had lately been hobnobbing with Mr. Patel and Mr. Rana appearing on the anti-Modi platforms, even if it was promoted by the Congress or the Mahagujarat Janata Party, a splinter group of the BJP formed by a former Modi Cabinet member, Gordhan Jhadafiya.
Mr. Jhadafiya has already announced that if Mr. Patel formed a new party, he would merge his MJP with the new outfit.
Mr. Patel, who was unceremoniously removed by the party leadership from the chief ministership in 2001 to make way for Mr. Modi, in a stinging attack on his successor, said the BJP in Gujarat had become a “one-man show” who was projecting himself as the “only national leader” at the cost of the party.
“He is not only ignoring the party, but also insulting thousands of party workers as if everything is achieved by one person. Even Gujarat’s pride is at stake and the unhappy people of the State are looking for a change,” he said.
Keywords: BJP, Keshubhai Patel resignation, Kashiram Rana, Narendra Modi, Gujarat politics
Budhha sathiya gaya hai !!!!!!!! At the age of prayer to GOD, he want Power !!!!!!
He is just wasting his time and became a PITTHU of Congress (Gujarat).
He has used so many bad words against Na Mo but people know who is Right & who is Wrong. During his time, his son-in-law has made lots of money and it was time that everything was in his hand and this budha was only on seat of CM.
The sensible patriotic Patel community to which the Great Sardar
Vallabhai was born will not support the Keshu Bhai playing the caste
card to dethrone Modi who is above cast politics. They know
“divided”, they all can stand only a small period but united with
others, all will remain forever. Down with cast politics. All should
be Indians first and cast, creed and religion should only be their
private affair, if at all they want to keep it, only for their
tradition. When age is catching up, why does some politicians like
Keshu think that they are infinite and start behaving like ' Shishus
Keshubhai Patel fate will be worst than Vaghela! He has lost the mental balance because of old age and absence power for long time. Forget dividing BJP votes, Keshubhai cannot divide even Patel votes. Selfish people can go down to any level! Keshubhai and his new party(!?)cannot make even a small dent on Modi. I pity Keshubhai!!
This issue is nothing, media should not highlight these issue, these
goons not able to make money and getting importance, because of Great
Modi regin; so leaving BJP and creating a mess with a new agenda is only
option. Gujarat leadership and development is well known; and also we
are in the need of mass leader's, not mass party. They want party to be
important so that they all sick old sss's can earn. Shame on them!
if mr. patel is unhappy with the functioning of mr. modi's functioning and claims it is against party ideologies; mr. patel should be able to out mr. modi; not get himself ousted. i suspect hidden mercenary agenda;
In the last general election, Keshubhai Patel critisised Modi and press also predicted that Keshubhai has lot of influence in Saurashtra but BJP got many seats under Modi's leadership. No doubt,Kashiram Rana is a prominent leader of Surat, because of age factor both cannot do any harm. Gujarat voters are wise
Now the media may certify that Keshubai has become secular.
Looks like Mr. Patel and his sidekicks are prevented by Mr. Modi from indulging in otherwise usual practice of stealing money and corrupt practices by Indian politicians. Mr. Patel is unhappy obviously.
Who cares? Remember Shankarsinh Vaghela being rebelian? look where he is
now? Kesubhai under his rule did nothing. He even turned down IT
companies which Chandrababu Naidu picked correctly!
Keshubai is a spent force. He wants to step into the shoe of MK to
swindle till death by fooling the common making them a tom moron
This old tiger wanted some post inGujarat and knocked the doors in Delhi,but no response,so he is quitting.No one can challenge Modi at present.His popularity is growing not only in his state but in whole India.He can only save India from corruption and from bad administration by Sonia and her slaves doing now.We hope he will become PMof india and save India globally.
Out of sheer frustration Mr Patel has decided to quit the party and form a rebel BJP
party. No tears will shed by this act which smacks of opportunism with a view to
cling to power by hook or by crook The Central leadership should lose no time in
accepting his resignation and thus get rid of such rebellious elements which will
prove to be of nuisance value to the functioning of the party and the Government.
This is the only sane course of action to be adopted.
A half-dead, rusted, worn out completely, neglected, idiotic,insane Gujarat politician has resigned from BJP. Not to feel sad about. BJP has
not lost a potential Prime ministerial candidate. Write this liability
off the books.
At the age of 83 this reveals only Keshubhai Patel's lust for the power.If he wants to form a party which will be REAL BJP then he must
go for SANYAS because BJP claims to be following Hinduism which after 75 strongly suggests for Sanyas ashram .
Mr. Keshubhai Patel, are you serious? Please search your heart and mind before making a statement like what you just did. Learn to give credit where it is due.
Sir,
His resignation may be due to political problems. But it is going to
help Sonia's clan. may be they bought Keshu!!!!!!
Bala
Mr.Keshubhai all your efforts to belittle the strong man of Gujarat having failed now
you are launching a new party which will very sweetly help the Congress of which you
were a staunch enemy for 50 years. You are only exposing your foolishness.
Mr Keshubhai Patel was a corrupt leader, who was responsible for diverting material
donated for the earthquake and allegedly siphoned off millions during that time. His
views are pathetic and is a bad loser. The people of Gujarat will see through his
populist approach.
I only wish the media were to look into the corruption allegations made against him
seriously.
Let us see how it is going to end. The in-fighting is going on in
Gujarat, while everyone praises the developments that took place in
Gujarat during Mr.Narendra Modi's rule. It is strange how the people
look at it. Is Narendra Modi so insensitive to the feelings of others
elders of his own party ??
Yeah the section of Keshubhai patel is unhappy, because Modi has reduced him and his people to the level of common man and they are not able to make money through corruption, so he is in pain....
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