Guj BJP dissidents hold secret meeting at farm house

Gandhinagar, Aug 2 (UNI) Over a dozen dissidents, including the recently suspended five MLAs, of ruling BJP today held a clandestine meeting at a farmhouse on the outskirts of Gandhinagar.

The dissidents arrived one-by-one at around noon to avoid being noticed by media or party sources, at the farmhouse and the meeting was still on. The agenda of the meeting is not yet known, as these members have not yet come out of the meeting place.

The meeting has greater importance in current political scenario in Gujarat, as former Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana and former Chief Minister Suresh Mehta were also present at the leave.

This is for the first time that the senior BJP stalwarts were seen with the dissidents, including suspended MLAs -- Dhiru Gajera, Balubhai Tanti, Gordhan Zadafia, Bechar Bhadani and Bavku Ughad, who are quite junior compared to them.

There is a growing feeling among dissidents that senior leaders like former Chief Minisiters Keshubhai Patel, Mr Mehta and Mr Rana were not taking lead from the front. In view of this, the presence of Mr Mehta and Mr Rana at the meeting gives a greater political importance.

Later, these dissidents said the meeting was held to chalk out a strategy to meet party workers with a direct focus to campaign against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, Union Textile Minister and senior Congress Leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, who was also in the city, told UNI that the Congress has no linkage with the meeting of BJP dissidents.

When asked, Mr Vaghela ruled out the possibility that these elements joining the Congress.

UNI