Dissident BJP leader Nalin Bhatt suspended from party

Vadodara, Aug 27 (UNI) Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat today took another prominent party dissident and former minister Nalin Bhatt to task by suspending him from the party for his ''anti-party'' activities.

State Party President Bajubhai Vala issued the suspension order a day after Bhatt organised a 'road-show' here yesterday as a show of strength to criticise both the government and the civic administration for their 'failure' to provide relief to the victims of last year's floods in the city and repair the roads.

The programme however, turned out to be a flop show as hardly about 600 people, including a couple of former corporators, joined the 'peace march' braving heavy downpour.

City BJP President Sabdasharan Brahmabhatt said the state party had also taken serious exception to Mr Bhatt's statement against the government he made during the road show.

Party president also axed city BJP vice-president Madan Mohan Sharma for coming out in support of Mr Bhatt and his road-show.

When contacted, Mr Bhatt, a prominent member of the dissident group led by former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, said he had not received any such letter from the state party president so far.

However, Mr Bhatt said that he would take up the matter with senior national leaders and party president Rajnath Singh.

Mr Bhatt, who had always campaigned with Keshubhai Patel seeking removal of Narendra Modi, is also a former state party general secretary and former chairman of the Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB).

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