GANDHINAGAR Jan 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat does not seem to have learnt any lessons from the Khajuraho episode when Shankarsinh Vaghela walked out of the party with a sizeable chunk of MLAs. The incident was responsible for perverting the image of the party as a disciplined, cadre-based organisation The same hardliner combine of Narendra Modi-Keshubhai Patel that compelled Vaghela to walk out with his flock of 46 MLAs 15 months ago have now targetted two dozen MLAs and four MPs whom they suspect to be `moderates and semi-Khajurias not loyal to the party''. According to highly placed sources, at least 14 MLAs and two MPs have in writing voicing ``the step-motherly treatment meted to them. They have sent their complaints to L K Advani and Atal Behari Bajpayee through former chief minister Suresh Mehta. In fact, these men have made it clear that they do not wish to employ any Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) machinery into service in their constituencies during elections alleging that ``the VHP was
sure to work against them''. They have also expressed their apprehension that the party would suffer an unprecedented debacle in the coming polls, if the hardliner group of workers is not prevented from carrying out their insidious campaign.
The rift between the hardliners and moderates is supposed to have led former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta, a moderate, to boycotted all Pradesh Election Committee meetings. Apparently pleased at this, a Sangh Parivar loyalist confided, ``The 13 member PEC has only two moderates: Mehta and senior leader Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, who cried publicly when Vaghela staged the Khajuraho revolt. We are least concerned whether they attend the PEC or not.''
On their part, the moderates have not received any positive response from the high command. ``We don't expect anything from Advaniji, but Atalji is also silent. Maybe he is helpless,'' reasoned one former BJP cabinet minister.
The hardliners owing allegiance to the Sangh Parivar started training their guns at the
``moderates'' since the day the state party leaders decided to recommend to the party high command to renominate all the 76 party legislators of the dissolved Gujarat Assembly for the elections scheduled for February 28. The hardliners stepped up their activity threatening a repeat of another ``Khajuraho episode'' in Gujarat despite the announcement by BJP supremo L K Advani that he would contest the prestigious Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. RSS strongman Modi, who was shunted out from Gujarat to Delhi immediately after the rebellion by Vaghela, is believed to have master minded plans to cut to size, politically, supporters of Suresh Mehta in the State.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
