Tough time ahead for Gujarat rebels

With the spectacular victory of Narendra Modi, it will be a double whammy for the BJP rebels in Gujarat for whom tough times are ahead.

This had become clear even before the results were out as the central leadership slapped show cause notices on sulking leader Keshubhai Patel and Kashiram Rana besides suspending two of its Lok Sabha MPs.

Only one out of the seven sitting BJP MLAs, who had crossed over to the Congress, managed to win the elections. The rebels were not able to swing Patel or Koli votes to the Congress in any substantial manner as they had claimed earlier.

Bauku Unghad was the only candidate to win from Babra while his other associates Bechar Bhadani, Dhiru Gajera, Balu Tanti, Narendrasinh Jadeja, Gopal Bhuva and Ramila Bara lostthe elections.

In Saurashtra and Kutch, which is the home turf of Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta, the BJP managed to increase its tally to 43 seats out of the total 58 seats in the regions. Last time the BJP had won 39 seats from the area.

The central leadership is now in no mood to take things lying down and party sources said that if necessary it will crack the whip to firmly ensure that discipline is maintained.

''We have given them a long rope. If there is no effort to correct themselves despite that, then we can't remain a silent spectator,'' a senior leader ominously remarked.

The dissidents had left no stone unturned to create obstacles for the return of Modi as they felt that yet another term for him will spell doom for them.

Sources said the party will give a stern message to the rebels to either fall in line or face the music in the wake of the fresh mandate.

The Chief Minister is also not known to be taking dissidence lightly and even before the polls he was virtually calling the shots in the state party affairs.

Now the spectacular victory has made Modi more powerful and hence is expected to nip dissidence with an iron hand and the central leadership too would also toe his line.

Courtesy:ndtv.com
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