Though the two are known to have pledged support to Shankersinh Vaghela, who recently called a minor split in the BJP by creating Rashtriya Janata Party, the leaders seem to have developed cold feet suddenly.
Rana was at the receiving end of vociferous attack and sabotage operations by the RSS cadre and the rival Keshubhai Patel group while contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Surat recently.
He was expected to join the newly formed RJP with 14 MLAs from south Gujarat owing allegiance to him. But Rana vanished from the scene and was traced in Delhi on Saturday.
Though he is believed to have returned to Ahmedabad along with his supporters, the leader still remains elusive. The Vaghela group suspects that he has been in touch with the BJP leadership and state Chief Minister Suresh Mehta.
The fate of the RJP precariously hangs on Rana and tribal leader Chotu Bhai Vasava, an independent MLA, who is believed to command influence over a dozen BJP MLAs belonging to the tribal community.
Since both of them have remained indecisive, Vaghela does not seem to be on as much solid ground as he was a week back. His main aim is to bring down the Suresh Mehta government and cause a larger split in the BJP.
