12-24-2007, 11:31 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>BJP rebels humbled, RSS stands sidelined </b>
deccan.com
New Delhi, Dec. 23: BJP leader Narendra Modi, preparing to be sworn in as Gujaratâs Chief Minister for a third term, was able to vanquish all the rebels who had joined ranks to defeat him in the elections. The eight rebels who contested on Congress tickets suffered major losses as Mr Modi consolidated his hold on the state and the party.
<b>The RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a major section of which was openly supporting the rebels, has also been âexposedâ, with BJP supporters of Mr Modi pointing out that âthey have all made themselves irrelevant in their opposition.â </b>
<b>VHP leader Praveen Togadia kept a low profile through the election campaign, and sources said that while he did not come out publicly he was fuelling the rebellion against Mr Modi from within.</b> <b>A senior RSS functionary admitted to this newspaper that the organisation was witnessing a âbhayankar (fierce) divisionâ and was split down the middle on the question of Mr Modi.</b>
The rebels were particularly active in Saurashtra, where five of them were contesting on the Congress symbol. Mr Modi retained 45 of the 63 seats in Saurashtra despite earlier reports that his hold on this part of Gujarat was slipping. Congressmen from the state do not hesitate to point out that the rebelsâ campaign was not substantive, and that despite the propaganda the people did not vote for them. <b>Prominent BJP rebel Dirubhai Gajera, who was contesting from Surat, lost despite the fact that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had staged a roadshow in his support in the constituency.</b> Another prominent BJP rebel who lost on the Congress ticket was Bechar Badani.
The Saradar Patel Utkarsh Samiti, floated by former home minister Gordhan Zadaphia (who was Mr Modiâs right-hand man during the 2002 violence) and former chief minister Suresh Mehta, is unlikely to survive this defeat. Mr Zadaphia had told this newspaper at the time that the one aim of the samiti was to ensure the defeat of Mr Modi, and for that it was prepared to campaign for<b> âanyone who is opposing Modi.â He said he had given inputs to the Congress for its manifesto and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela confirmed that the samiti was âworking for us.â</b> Mr Modi has emerged victorious, and the BJP rebels who were hoping to effect a regime change have retired.
The Congress strategy in the state was dependent on the rebels, who were roped into the campaign at one level or the other to take on the BJP. At least 50 sitting MLAs had been denied tickets by Mr Modi because of the anti-incumbency factor. He fielded newcomers from most of these seats. <b>The RSS and the VHP decided to help the rebels, and indirectly the Congress,</b> because of the personality cult being built around the chief minister.<b> An RSS functionary told this newspaper that Mr Modi was becoming bigger than the organisation, and âthis could not be tolerated.â </b>
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VHP and RSS leadership is full of idiots and fools are writen all over them.
deccan.com
New Delhi, Dec. 23: BJP leader Narendra Modi, preparing to be sworn in as Gujaratâs Chief Minister for a third term, was able to vanquish all the rebels who had joined ranks to defeat him in the elections. The eight rebels who contested on Congress tickets suffered major losses as Mr Modi consolidated his hold on the state and the party.
<b>The RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a major section of which was openly supporting the rebels, has also been âexposedâ, with BJP supporters of Mr Modi pointing out that âthey have all made themselves irrelevant in their opposition.â </b>
<b>VHP leader Praveen Togadia kept a low profile through the election campaign, and sources said that while he did not come out publicly he was fuelling the rebellion against Mr Modi from within.</b> <b>A senior RSS functionary admitted to this newspaper that the organisation was witnessing a âbhayankar (fierce) divisionâ and was split down the middle on the question of Mr Modi.</b>
The rebels were particularly active in Saurashtra, where five of them were contesting on the Congress symbol. Mr Modi retained 45 of the 63 seats in Saurashtra despite earlier reports that his hold on this part of Gujarat was slipping. Congressmen from the state do not hesitate to point out that the rebelsâ campaign was not substantive, and that despite the propaganda the people did not vote for them. <b>Prominent BJP rebel Dirubhai Gajera, who was contesting from Surat, lost despite the fact that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had staged a roadshow in his support in the constituency.</b> Another prominent BJP rebel who lost on the Congress ticket was Bechar Badani.
The Saradar Patel Utkarsh Samiti, floated by former home minister Gordhan Zadaphia (who was Mr Modiâs right-hand man during the 2002 violence) and former chief minister Suresh Mehta, is unlikely to survive this defeat. Mr Zadaphia had told this newspaper at the time that the one aim of the samiti was to ensure the defeat of Mr Modi, and for that it was prepared to campaign for<b> âanyone who is opposing Modi.â He said he had given inputs to the Congress for its manifesto and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela confirmed that the samiti was âworking for us.â</b> Mr Modi has emerged victorious, and the BJP rebels who were hoping to effect a regime change have retired.
The Congress strategy in the state was dependent on the rebels, who were roped into the campaign at one level or the other to take on the BJP. At least 50 sitting MLAs had been denied tickets by Mr Modi because of the anti-incumbency factor. He fielded newcomers from most of these seats. <b>The RSS and the VHP decided to help the rebels, and indirectly the Congress,</b> because of the personality cult being built around the chief minister.<b> An RSS functionary told this newspaper that Mr Modi was becoming bigger than the organisation, and âthis could not be tolerated.â </b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
VHP and RSS leadership is full of idiots and fools are writen all over them.