19 November 2002
MODI-KESHUBHAI RIFT HOLDS UP
CANDIDATES FOR 38 SEATS
From Jal Khambata
NEW
DELHI: Gujarat's caretaker Chief Minister Narendra Modi has finally
bowed out of the Rajkot-II that gave him a thumping majority in a
by-election to contest the upcoming Assembly election from Maninagar
constituency in Ahmedabad to cash on the so-called polarisation of
the Hindu votes because of the communal carnage.
His decision
not to stand from Rajkot-II is to escape the ire of his predecessor
Keshubhai Patel who has strong hold over the Saurashtra region to
upset easily his chances of winning. He will be contesting from only
one constituency and not from two as speculated, BJP spokesman
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
Keshubhai had upper hand in
selection of candidates and yet Modi succeeded in blocking
finalisation of candidates in at least 11 constituencies in the
Saurashtra region where both challenged winnability of persons of
each other.
According to Naqvi, not a single Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) office-bearer has been given the BJP ticket, though
the list of 144 released on Tuesday include a former VHP activist and
controversial Minister of State for Home Gordhanbhai Zadapia from
Rakhial constituency.
Keshubhai refused to take Modi's bait to
let his son Bharat contest from Rajkot-II, which will be now
contested by former Gujarat Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala who had
vacated the seat for Modi to contest. He reportedly snubbed Modi,
telling him to stop "bhai-bhatijavad" and go by winnability
as the only criteria for giving the ticket.
The former chief
minister is also still reportedly insisting on himself contesting
from his traditional Visavadar seat for which no candidate has been
yet finalised instead of recommending his son for the
seat.
Differences between Modi and Keshubhai held up selection
of candidates for 38 seats while the Central Election Committee that
met Monday night and again on Tuesday morning cleared names for the
remaining 144 seats, refielding 82 members of the dissolved House and
denying the ticket to only 12 which include three supporters of
Keshubhai.
Former Minister Haren Pandya who had fallen out
with Modi does not figure in the first list but the BJP sources said
Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani has intervened to
accommodate it in the final list, pointing out the services he had
rendered in his Gandhinagar constituency.
Haren Pandya's
popularity in the Delhi Media simply because he had taken up cudgles
against Modi was such that spokesman Naqvi had tough time at the
daily Press briefing at the party headquarters as he was interrupted
repeatedly to first disclose candidates from his Ellisbridge
constituency in Ahmedabad and he kept stressing that the list to be
distributed at the end of briefing would make everything clear.
The
State Election Committee has to meet again in Ahmedabad on Wednesday
or Thursday to sort out the differences over 38 seats and make
recommendations to BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu for the selection
he would be making in consultation with Gujarat's incharge general
secretary Arun Jaitley.
While releasing the first list of
candidates, Naqvi said it includes two former MPs, Somabhai Gandabhai
from Wankaner and Shivlalbhai Vakeria from Jasdan, three MLAs of the
earlier Houses, seven women, 26 ST and 10 SC candidates, besides nine
being teachers and nine lawyers.
Film Star Naresh Kanodia has
been given ticket from Karjan while Industries Minister Sureshbhai
Mehta contests from Mandavi, Assembly Speaker Dhirubhai Shah from
Rapar, Social Justice Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela from Dasada and
Minister Ashok Bhatt from Khadia.
Dr Mayaben Kodnani has been
repeated from Naroda while Minister Vadibhai Patel is seeking
re-election from Gandhinagar and another Minister Anandiben Patel has
been given ticket for Patan. Sardar Sarovar Nigam chairman
Bhupendrasinh Chudasama s contesting from Dholka. END