Outside Modi’s party meet in Gujarat, posters again

Mangalore Today / NDTV

Rajkot, June 10:  It was the second day of the BJP’s executive meeting in Gujarat that took place in Rajkot amidst reports of dissidence and internal bickering within the state unit of the party. After posters featuring Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s rival Sanjay Joshi were put last night, supporters of Mr Joshi put on masks with the face of the former BJP leader today and distributed pamphlets in his support close to the venue of the BJP state executive meet.

 

 

Mr Joshi, seen as Mr Modi’s fiercest political rival, had quit the BJP on the eve of the executive meet. He had already resigned from the party’s national executive after working for 10 years following reported pressure from Mr Modi. The state BJP leaders have insisted that Mr Joshi’s exit will have no impact on the party’s election prospects in 2012. However, Mr Joshi’s supporters continued the turf war during the BJP state meet.

This was as Mr Modi opened an open attack on the UPA government in the meet, saying the country’s integrity has been hurt by the Centre’s ’corruption and bad economic decisions’.

"The Congress government has jolted the integrity of India. India is one of the youngest countries in the world, but look what the Congress government has done with it," Mr Modi said today.

"The Congress government has no answers to the charges against it. Look where inflation has reached. What are the people in Delhi doing? Every time our Prime Minister assures the nation that the inflation will come down. The media must show the PM’s bytes and his false promises. Look at where rupee has reached. Why is it only India has been so adversely affected? Smaller countries are coping with it, why is India struggling? I strongly believe the situation we are in is not just because of economics," he added.

The Gujarat elections are scheduled for later this year, and Mr Modi said he is confident of another BJP triumph in the state. "We are Team BJP. We are Team Gujarat. We walk only on the path of development," he said, adding "the Congress will be wiped out by 2012 as people are now tired of it."

However, apart from the Congress, Mr Modi is likely to face major dissidence from former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and his supporters who have openly challenged Modi government’s rule in the run up to the state elections.

Interestingly, the state executive meeting has been organised in Mr Patel’s home town.