Keshubhai says he is still a BJP man

Gandhinagar, Dec 3 (UNI) Distancing himself from the rebel group, Senior BJP leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel today asserted that he was still a BJP-man.

Talking to mediapersons here this evening in the state Capital, Mr Patel denied any involvement in the advertisements in the print media, asking people to vote for a change.

However, Mr Patel admitted that the contents of the advertisement include his recent statements asking for the removal of Chief Minister Narendra Modi from his post. The half-page advertisement also criticised Mr Modi for using the RSS and VHP for his own ends.

It also questioned Mr Modi's 'Vibrant Gujarat' campaign.

Mr Patel reiterated that he was never attached to the 'Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti', an NGO of rebel BJP leaders, that had released the advertisement.

The BJP leadership was surprised over the timings of the advertisments since the polling for the first phase is only a week away.

The party's spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told newspersons in his routine briefing that the party might seek a clarification from Keshubhai.

Expressing concern over the issue, some senior party leaders admitted that the issue could adversely affect the party in the Gujarat Assembly Polls, scheduled to be held on December 11 and 16.

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