Modi should have long gone as CM: Keshubhai

Vadodara: Dissident BJP leader Keshubhai Patel on Sunday claimed that party leadership, including Lal Krishna Advani, had assured him of removing Narendra Modi as chief minister of Gujarat in 2006 but instead allowed him to run the state even at the cost of the party ideology.

"During my meeting with veteran BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Venkaiah Naidu held in Mumbai six years ago, they assured me of removing Modi from power within two months after I brought (to their notice) many instances of corruption against Modi and his dictatorial style of functioning," said the former chief minister who has of late been on warpath with Modi who is facing election year.

"I do not know why BJP leadership, including Advani and Naidu, have allowed Modi to remain in power despite he is least cared of implementing BJP ideology and only built on his own image," Patel said.

The veteran BJP leader was speaking to reporters after addressing a convention on 'Parivartan' (change) held under the banner of 'Mahagujarat Janta Party' and 'Dindayal Seva Sangarsh Samiti', aimed at dislodging Modi from power in the state Assembly elections slated at the end of the year.

Slamming Modi, who embarked on a four-day official tour of Japan, Patel said, "Why has he gone to Japan? He has gone there so as to ensure that various industrial houses in the state get benefited from investments."

Sharpening his attack on Modi, the dissident leader said the chief minister was "misleading" people on developmental front by twisting reality.

"He (Modi) is a liar. He is claiming credit for the central schemes and is patting his own back for development. Modi is fooling people since 2001 at the cost of the public exchequer," Patel added.

Patel told the gathering that Modi's claims fell flat on yardstick of reality and alleged that more than 70 per cent of tribals in eight districts of eastern Gujarat are undernourished.

"About 1.90 crore people out of total population of six crore fall under the below poverty line while the number of school dropouts has mounted to 82 lakhs so far after Modi took over as chief minister in 2001," he said.

On appointment of Lokayukta, Patel said, during his stint as chief minister in 1995 and 1998, he had appointed the ombudsman for full term.

The former chief minister said that the quantity of mid-day meal being provided to children is brought down to 150 gm from 225 gm by the BJP government.

Former union textile minister Kashiram Rana, who was also present at the convention, said that if the third front to be formed by Patel came to power, all "misdeeds" of Modi government will be probed.

Former chief minister Suresh Mehta questioned the wisdom of spending Rs 300 crore on publicity for the 'Global Vibrant Gujarat Summit' scheduled for January.

Maha Gujarat Janta Party president Gordhan Zadapiya exhorted voters to vote Modi out of power, while accusing the chief minister of splurging Rs 702 crore on publicity of "achievements" of the incumbent state government.