NEW DELHI: Expelled BJP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana on Thursday accused party president L.K. Advani of adopting a "dictatorial attitude'' in dealing with party matters and charged those surrounding him with giving wrong advice to him that had turned the BJP from a "family unit into a private limited company." The rally to express solidarity and support to Mr. Khurana saw a huge turnout with three Delhi BJP legislators and local party leaders turning up at the venue defying the party directive.

Hurt by the manner in which he had been treated by the party, especially Mr. Advani with whom he had an association of nearly 50 years, Mr. Khurana told his supporters gathered inside a park at Kirti Nagar in North Delhi that he would announce his plan of action next week after consulting his family, friends, well-wishers and senior BJP and RSS leaders including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Pro-Khurana slogans rent the air as the former Chief Minister was ushered in to the stage by his supporters.

Stating that he had not been given an opportunity to give his side of the picture, Mr. Khurana said that despite his repeated efforts, Mr. Advani did not grant him time for a personal audience. Mr. Khurana said he had met Mr. Vajpayee and former party president Jana Krishnamurthy on Wednesday. "The BJP used to be run like a family where collective decisions were taken and the leadership consulted each and everyone before taking important steps. Now it is being run like a private limited company where people surrounding Mr. Advani sitting in air-conditioned rooms are giving him wrong advice and pushing out people like me.''

Ruling out his joining the Congress, Mr. Khurana said anything and everything was possible and the response to the meeting had proved that he continued to enjoy the support and blessings of the people.

Questioning the very basis of his expulsion from the party, Mr. Khurana said he had sought more time to reply but had not been granted that. Instead he had been handed out the expulsion order.

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