Keshubhai & Co vow third front, finally

Cold-shouldered by the top party leadership last week over his demand to remove Chief Minister Narendra Modi, former CM and rebel BJP leader Keshubhai Patel came out in the open on Friday, vowing to form a third front in Gujarat to challenge Modi in the Assembly elections scheduled in December this year.

At his residence in Gandhinagar today, Keshubhai held a long meeting with his old supporters like former CM Suresh Mehta, former union minister Kashiram Rana, RSS veteran Bhaskar Rao Damle,VHP leader Amit Suhagiya, former Surat mayor Fakir Vaghela, former minister Nalin Bhatt and MahaGujarat Janta Party (MJP) chief Gordhan Zadaphia.

Zadaphia later told reporters, "All of us have decided to form a strong third political front under Keshubhai's leadership to fight against the evil BJP government and a weak Opposition."

"From the next week, Keshubhai and all other leaders will visit places across the state to apprise the people of misdeeds of this government. We will do it in July and then we will declare our future plans in August," he said.

Zadaphia did not clarify if Keshubhai was about to quit the BJP but said he would not renew his party membership. "BJP has asked called him (Keshubhai) to renew his membership as an active party member, but he has not agreed so far. This membership is usually renewed every three years, but he was never asked to do it all these years."

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