Gujarat BJP dissidents give up hope in their fight against Modi

New Delhi, May 30 (UNI) Dissident BJP leaders ranged against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi say they are a frustrated lot with the party leadership turning a deaf ear to their grievances.

''We have been coming almost every month to apprise the leaders as loyal workers but the leaders tend to hear our grievances without any reaction. Nothing has happened so far and nothing will happen now, as the elections are just six months away and there can't be change of leadership and the BJP is in for a bad time,'' a prominent leader from the state not wanting to be identified told newspersons.

The BJP under former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel secured two thirds majority in 1992 and returned with a reduced majority in 1998 and present Chief Minister had absolutely no role in this rise. The BJP under Mr Modi in post-Godhra scenario was able to sweep Central Gujarat while the party got less seats in Saurashtra, south and North Gujarat regions than 1998 figures. In 2004 elections, the BJP lost out to Congress in 92 seats winning 90 assembly segments, the leader said.

The party has been losing the mass base by the disenchanted Kohli and influential Patel communities who felt orphaned by the 'discriminatory attitude' of the Modi government. ''Such being the case, we see problems for the BJP more than ever before and we are apprising the leadership who are lending their ears but not willing to act,'' the dissident leader said.

The Gujarat leader who has been aligned with the BJP right from its Jana Sangh days said the party was a collective leadership and with the entrance of Mr Modi into the state the style of functioning got drastically changed where even former chief ministers like Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta felt ignored.

Ignoring the cadre is going to cost dearly in the polls and ''our leadership is refusing to acknowledge this fact,'' the leader said adding that they were playing the role of 'Vibheeshan' giving the right advice.

About Rajiv Gandhi Foundation giving a clean chit to Gujarat for rehabilitation of earthquake victims, the BJP leader said the action was initiated and implemented during Keshubhai regime and the credit is wrongly given to the incumbent Chief Minister.

Asked for his reaction for dropping Mr Modi from the all important Parliamentary Board by BJP President Rajnath Singh, the leader said the arrangment perfectly suited Mr Modi as the CM will be in a position to 'dictate' terms and deny ticket without any personal responsibility.

UNI