Keeping both the BJP and its dissidents happy and guessing, the party stalwart in Gujarat Keshubhai Patel on Friday indicated that though he would not be campaigning for the Saffron outfit?s cause in the Assembly elections, he would be ?available for guidance?.
Once bitterly opposed to the official line of the party to go to the polls under leadership of chief minister Narendra Modi, the half-hearted shift in his stand indicating his ?availability to guide BJP? is seen as a result of his predicament to quit and go whole hog in support of dissidents spearheaded by former state home minister Goardhan Jhadaphia, who swears by his name.
It is also relevant here to mention that Keshubhai?s son Bharat Patel had earlier refused to accept BJP?s offer to contest on party ticket. The party, otherwise, tactically wanted to field him to ensure Keshubhai factor neutralised in the elections.
Aware of the fact that the former chief minister will not leave the party, a senior BJP leader, who has been looking after the Gujarat affairs, said, ?He is with us. Though, he has some problem with the current leadership in the state, we are sure that he would not do anything which will harm the party interest and today he has assured us of his ?guidance? to the party.?
But counterclaiming this Jhadaphia said, the BJP?s propaganda of Keshubhai supporting the party line is not true. ?This is just a tactics of Narendrabhai. Keshubhai has categorically made it clear on many occasions, he is not with party so long Modi is there,? he said.
Indicating shift in his stand, Keshubhai said, ?I have toiled for BJP for the last 60 years. I am with the party now and will remain in the party.?
He, however, was non- committal on the issue of campaigning for the party as he said, ?I have not yet decided on the issue. But I am available anytime for the BJP to provide my guidance.? In an effort to give credence to his current move, Keshubhai, though, claimed that his association with the rebels was an ?issue of past?, he said.