Keshubhai quits BJP, to challenge Modi in assembly polls

Capping weeks of a high-pitch campaign against Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his predecessor Keshubhai Patel today quit the BJP and will announce a new political outfit tomorrow to challenge the Gujarat strongman in the December assembly elections.

The veteran leader, who ushered in BJP rule in the state in 1995, walked out of the party with former Union minister Kanshiram Rana, saying it had become a "one-man party" and declaring he would form the "real BJP".

"Kanshiram Rana and I, who have served the party for the last 60 years, are very sad to send our resignations from the party that we have nurtured. We are not switching the party but we are going to form a real BJP," Patel told reporters after sending his resignation to BJP president Nitin Gadkari.

Patel, twice Chief Minister of Gujarat, was once a powerful leader of the OBC community in the Saurashtra region but has been politically marginalised in the state for quite some time now.

The extent of damage he could cause to Modi and BJP in the most enduring citadel of the saffron party remains to be seen.

Patel's exit from BJP and floating a new party could see a realignment of anti-Modi forces in the state months ahead of the assembly polls with Mahagujarat Janata Party of former state minister Gordhan Zadafia likely to merge with it.

This, political analysts believe, may lead to emergence of a third force to challenge BJP and the Congress at the hustings.

"BJP has not remained real BJP which we had formed...

This party has become a one-man party and gone far away from its principles," Patel said attacking Modi and giving reasons for his quitting the party.

"I will tomorrow announce the formation of our new party," he said.

Kanshiram Rana, a strong leader from Surat, who was Union textile minister in the NDA government, said "Vajpayeeji had once told Modi to follow 'Rajdharma' and inspired by that, we have decided to follow Praja-Dharma."

"The present BJP has gone miles away from democracy and has become insensitive towards the people. This chief minister runs away from people and media as he does not have to answer their queries," Patel said lashing out at the Chief Minister and voicing his unhappiness with BJP leadership.

"In this situation, I cannot remain silent and be a mute specatator and that is the reason I have decided to form a new party which will be the real BJP," he said.

The modalities for registration of the new party were being worked out, Patel said.

Sources close to the former Chief Minister, who was unceremoniously removed from the post and replaced by Modi after BJP's defeat in two by-polls, said the new party will field candidates in all the 182 assembly seats.

"At this ripe age, I am not forming a new party for power as people have given me enough. My only aim is to give a better alternative to the people of the state," he said.

Patel is said to be still enjoying the backing of sections of the Sangh family, including RSS pracharaks and VHP volunteers.

Support for him is likely to grow when Mahagujarat Janata Party merges with the new party. Zadafia, while pledging support for Patel, had recently said he would merge his party with the new outfit.