The Hindu : National : Keshubhai, Kashiram reply to notice

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Keshubhai, Kashiram reply to notice

Manas Dasgupta

Rana refuses to divulge contents to the media
Issued the show-cause notice for their overt opposition to Modi’s leadership

GANDHINAGAR: The former Gujarat Chief Minister, Keshubhai Patel, and the former Union Textiles Minister, Kashiram Rana, have sent their replies to the show-cause notice issued by the BJP high command for their alleged anti-party activities.

Sources close to both Mr. Patel and Mr. Rana confirmed that they have sent their replies within the stipulated time of one week, but declined to reveal their contents. Mr. Rana said it was an internal matter of the party and should not be discussed with the media.

The two senior party leaders, both members of Parliament, were issued the show-cause notice by the high command on December 21 for their overt opposition to the leadership of Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, in the State Assembly elections. Two other MPs, Vallabh Kathiriya and Somabhai Patel, were suspended from the party for openly canvassing for the Congress against the BJP candidates.

While Mr. Somabhai Patel has since announced his decision to join the Congress “sooner or later,” Dr. Kathiriya, also a former Union Minister, has not yet revealed his future plans. The former Chief Minister and Mr. Rana, who declined to campaign for “Mr. Modi’s BJP” but did not openly canvass for the Congress or the BJP rebels, contesting as independents, were at one time reportedly toying with the idea of joining hands with a regional party planned to be floated by yet another former Chief Minister, Suresh Mehta, who has already quit the BJP.

Mr. Modi, soon after the party’s victory in the State Assembly, however, indicated that he would prefer the party to take a soft stand on Mr. Patel and Mr. Rana. Though when asked, Mr. Modi said it was the for the party high command to take a decision on actions against Mr. Patel and Mr. Rana, he had told the newly-elected legislators that he was for adopting a “forgive and forget” attitude towards those “family members who could not move together and fell out on the way.”

Mr. Modi alone was sworn in Chief Minister on December 25 and is yet to give any indication when and who would be in his new Cabinet. Seven of the 26 members of the last Cabinet were defeated in the elections, but all of the 18, excluding himself, who have been re-elected, are unlikely to find a berth again in the new Cabinet. Party sources said Mr. Modi might prefer to take at least a dozen new faces.

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