Senior BJP leaders including two former chief ministers of Gujarat on Wednesday teamed up against chief minister Narendra Modi claiming that the present situation in the state was like an undeclared emergency where all democratic values have gone to dogs.
This was the first time in over a decade-long rule of Modi, that senior leaders have voiced their dissatisfaction over his leadership and how the BJP party was functioning in the state. Though they talked about rescuing people of Gujarat from the undemocratic atmosphere in the state, they refrained from demanding a change in leadership.
These senior leaders include former chief ministers Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta, former Gujarat minister of state for Home Gordhan Zadafiya, former Surat MP Kashiram Rana, Fakir Chauhan and chief of Gujarat RSS Bhaskar Rao Damle. They had held a meeting at the residence of Keshubhai Patel in Gandhinagar on Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of all the leaders Suresh Mehta said that administration in the state has gone to dogs, and the culture of the ruling BJP party was deteriorating.
"Today the situation in Gujarat is like an undeclared emergency which is more dangerous. Me and other senior leaders like Keshubhai, Rana and Zadafiya have come together here on Wednesday to plan out a way to save people of Gujarat from this situation," Mehta told reporters after the meeting.
Giving example of how the functioning of the ruling BJP in the state has deteriorated, Mehta alleged that BJP national vice president Purshottam Rupala, during a meeting of party members, had asked them to spend money to ensure votes before the election commission declares poll dates. "A national vice president of BJP is asking party workers to go and purchase votes. That's not all. Rupala in his reply asked me not to advise him, but has not denied the allegation," Mehta said, adding that he has taken the matter to the Election Commission. He said that Keshubhai had also ruled the state for a long time and that was with love. "Today's rule is that of fear," he added.
Mehta also took a dig at the BJP national leadership and criticised them for succumbing to Modi's demand with regard the Sanjay Joshi episode during the recent national executive meet in Mumbai. "How can the national BJP leadership succumb to Modi. This does not happen in democracy," he said. When asked if they were demanding a change in leadership, Mehta said he would not like to comment on it as the deliberation among the leaders was not over and would continue in the days to come. Mehta, a former CM, has now parted ways with the BJP.
Meanwhile, in a related development on Wednesday BJP national spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi described Modi as the face of BJP who has emerged as a national leader of the party. Naqvi who was here to attend meeting of BJP's minority cell .
