New Delhi, May 28
The Bharatiya Janata Party high command today came to the rescue of beleagured Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sternly asking the rebellious MLAs to fall in line.
While former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said efforts were on to resolve the crisis in Gujarat BJP in the wake of the growing demand for replacing Mr Modi, sources said party President M. Venkaiah Naidu had sent a stern message to the rebel MLAs that the party did not approve of their action.
The party issued a show-cause notice to rebel MLA Purshottam Solanki despite Mr Naidu telling that Solanki had apologised for his anti-Modi utterances last night at the birthday celebration of senior BJP leader A.K. Patel. Mr Solanki had compared Mr Modi with Hitler.
Sources said Mr Modi had urged Mr Advani and Mr Naidu to teach a lesson to Mr Solanki.
The party high command has decided to tackle the Modi rebellion by adopting the policy of carrot and stick. It is being conveyed to rebel MLAs that if they stopped going public on the issue, they will be rewarded after the Assembly session was over.
Talking to newspersons, Mr Naidu said he was in constant touch with the state leadership and denied reports that there was any proposal to replace Mr Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
GANDHINAGAR:
Upbeat over the reports of 60 BJP MLAs demanding the change of leadership in Gujarat, the Opposition Congress in the state Assembly mounted a blistering attack on Chief Minister Narendra Modi and said “his exit is certain”.
“The momentum that has gathered against Modi is not going to die down and his exit is certain,” Opposition leader Amarsinh Chaudhary said while speaking on the budgetary demands of the General Administration Department here.
Meanwhile, Mr Narendra Modi refused to comment on the situation and maintained composure.
