Pandya puts BJP in a spot

Although independent candidate contesting from the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency Vitthalbhai Pandya may not stand a chance of winning the seat, he is causing much embarrassment to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in both Gandhinagar and New Delhi.

Father of assassinated former Gujarat revenue minister Haren Pandya, Vitthalbhai has used his door-to-door meetings to launch a tirade against deputy prime minister L K Advani and chief minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of being responsible for the gunning down of his son. Haren Pandya had a considerable following in the Ellisbridge Assembly constituency.

"I want to stop criminalisation of politics because some criminals have taken a strong hold in politics and good people are not entering the fray because of that. It is my noble attempt to establish an ideal democracy," said Vitthalbhai Pandya, independent candidate from Gandhinagar constituency.

"My second reason to contest the elections was the gross injustice done to my son Haren Pandya by the saffron party. He was the fittest candidate to get the ticket of MLA as he was honest to the core in spite of holding two major portfolios, home as well as revenue," said Pandya, while justifying his decision to enter the fray despite attempts by the BJP to persuade him not to contest the Gandhinagar seat against Advani.

On his chances of winning from Gandhinagar constituency, Pandya said: "I am confident of winning this election because people have welcomed me warmly. Moreover they are tired of both Modi and Advani. Advani is coming from Delhi and is an outsider and people of the state do not want an outsider. They have realised the blunder they committed by voting for Advani in the last elections and this time they are going to vote for me."

Asked why he did not join any other political party, Pandya said: "In fact I have received offers from various parties to contest this election. But I decided to fight my own battle against the criminal politicians.'

"Narendra Modi did not listen to the advise of the top leaders of the BJP and considered himself supreme within the party. L K Advani observed with criminal silence Haren's political murder which was motivated by Modi," said Pandya.

"I have even written several letters to deputy prime minister L K Advani seeking justice but have not even received a receipt for any of the letters. This shows Advani indirectly supported the brutal deeds of Modi, which have resulted in Gujarat being an epicentre for hatred and crime in the country," said Pandya.

On being asked about the possibility that Haren Pandya was murdered because of the communal tension that arose during his tenure as home minister of state, Pandya said: "Haren has chewed and digested the book written by Din Dayal on communalisation and believed that bodies are different but souls are the same. He kept a balance among the communities. People of different communities attended the funeral ceremony of Haren Pandya, which reflects that he was a public man and did not believe in the massacre of innocent people, weather they are Hindu or Muslim or of any other community."

Alleging that Pandya's death was orchestrated by Modi, Vithalbhai Pandya said: "Firstly, Modi felt his post would be at stake due to the rising popularity of Haren Pandya with the masses. Secondly, getting Haren killed would establish that he was killed by Muslims and the Hindus would vote for the BJP. Lastly Pandya's death would ensure that no other MLA or MP of the Modi government raise his voice against the government."

Pandya said: "Advani and Modi are very fond of yatras, spending crore of rupees. These are non-developmental expenses, which the deputy chairman of the planning commission has urged should be stopped."