Former chief minister Keshubhai Patel is all set to take his battle against chief minister Narendra Modi to his home turf of Saurashtra.
The ex-BJP veteran is expected to launch a frontal attack on Modi in a series of proposed ‘Bas have to satta parivartan’ (All we want is change of guard) mega gatherings. The first gathering is scheduled to be held in Bhavnagar on July 10.
The event is expected to be a show of strength by Keshubhai in association with his present day close political aide Gordhan Zadaphia. The latter is a native of Gariadhar in Bhavnagar and is the president of Mahagujarat Janata Party (MJP).
Sources maintain that at least 1,500 people from BJP and Congress would join Keshubhai’s ‘parivartan team’ and formally associate themselves with his cause. He is expected to launch a political party soon. Those likely to join hands with Keshubhai include his old allies from the BJP, local councilors and dissidents from both the mainstream political parties.
Sources said there is large-scale resentment among BJP workers on being asked to collect money for party’s ‘Dhansangrah’ campaign. A large number of them have registered their protest and have even left the party.
Leaders of Sangh Parivar affiliates like VHP, Bajarang Dal and Kisan Sangh, who have been sidelined by Modi, are also expected to make their presence felt by openly supporting Keshubhai. Sources said that they are likely to attend the event under their own organizational banner. The organizers have appealed to people from all castes and communities to attend the event. Besides Leuva Patels, they are trying to rope in leaders of Karadia Rajputs, kshatriyas, Kolis and brahmins. This is being done as a bid to makeover the image of MJP, which is primarily seen as a Leuva Patel entity.
Keshubhai had earlier launched an attack on Modi from his Leuva Patel community forum. He has followed this by attending other community gatherings to consolidate his support base.
At the gathering, the former chief minister is expected to harp on the pro-poor policies initiated during his tenure, several of which were later withdrawn under Modi regime. Besides Keshubhai, the other prominent faces attending the event would include former chief minister Suresh Mehta, former Union minister Kashiram Rana, Mahuva BJP legislator Dr Kanubhai Kalsaria and former Rajkot rural legislator Siddharth Parmar.
Gujarat Vidhansabha 