BJP issues notices to Keshubhai, Kashiram; suspends two MPs

The disciplinary action, in the interregnum when polling has ended in Gujarat but results are yet to be declared, reflected the determination of the central leadership of the BJP to take immediate action and try and restore the party?s image as a ?party with a difference?.

Announcing the decision on Friday, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the party had to take action against the leaders, as they did not show any change in their behaviour, that the party was expecting towards the end of the campaigning in Gujarat.

Party leaders said that while Keshubhai has been hauled up for publicly criticising the leadership and even issuing statements in the form of an advertisement in local newspapers, the action against Rana was taken for his controversial remark that a ?wave of change? was sweeping Gujarat, which the party said meant that the BJP would lose in the elections. Keshubhai and Rana have been asked to explain within a week as to why they made such statements ?which damaged the party?s poll efforts?.

The swift action against Keshubhai and his supporters, before the results of Gujarat elections came, also makes it clear that the BJP wants to isolate the former chief minister and prevent any possible complications in the government making process if the BJP fell short of numbers, as predicted by some exit poll surveys. The action also confirmed that the central leadership was only going by Modi?s gameplan in cutting the dissident camp to size before announcement of the poll results.

It was obvious that Modi had utilised the two days that he was in the Capital for the NDC and the chief ministers? meet on internal security, more to lobby with the BJP top brass than to focus on matters relating to the state administration. ?Modi was successful in impressing upon them that the time has come to take action against them, otherwise they will create fresh trouble in the formation of government after the results,? sources in the party said.

Party circles however felt that disciplinary action against Keshubhai had been in the coming as the central leadership had, even during run-up to the elections, suspended seven party MLAs from his camp including former state home minister Govardhan Jhadaphia for anti-party activities. Six of them had been accommodated by the Congress, and given party tickets.