Gujarat raises banner against its poster boy
6 Jun 2012 6:54 AM GMT
There are about six months left for the assembly election in Gujarat, but the infighting in the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is increasing by the day, with various factions in the party asserting their strength. In a move that highlighted the bitter rivalry between the Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and the senior party leader Sanjay Joshi, posters in Ahmedabad appeared on Tuesday praising Joshi and taking a dig at the chief minister.
This is for the first time that such posters have come up on the walls of Ahmedabad since Modi took over the reins of Gujarat. Joshi ruled the roost in the state during the chief-ministership of Keshubhai Patel in the late 90s. He was an important organising secretary at that time and was successful in implementing the agenda of the party. One of his important associates was the former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya.
Though situation changed and Joshi was shunted out of Gujarat to Delhi, he remains a strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man. This is not the first time that Joshi has acted against Modi. Along with Patel and Kashiram Rana, he had tried to queer the pitch for Modi in Gujarat from time to time. But, Modi had always saved himself through the blessings of Lal Krishna Advani. Even during the assembly poll in 2007, the Keshubhai camp had tried to make things tough for Modi, but they failed.
Joshi enjoys the patronage of Gadkari, but his failure to turn things around in Uttar Pradesh has weakened him. However, these posters will not be a one-off affair. In the days to come, Kashiram Rana will address a OBC rally soon that can go against Modi.
The posters took the anti-Modi war to a new level. In a clear refernce to the manner in which Joshi was asked to resign from the national executive of the BJP, a poster in Ahmedabad read 'Ek Neta ko Khush Kare, Dusre ka Istifa Mange … Kya Yahi Hain BJP Ki Niti' (Making one leader happy, asking for the resignation of another, is this the policy of the BJP?).
The first round of battle between Joshi and Modi was won by the former during the Uttar Pradesh assembly election. After being re-inducted into the party, Joshi was made in-charge of the state by the BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Modi had refused to campaign in the state because of Joshi's presence. But despite being Modi a star campaigner, the party had stuck to its decision of keeping Joshi in. While Joshi tasted victory over Modi in Uttar Pradesh, the Mumbai incident was a sweet revenge for the Gujarat chief minister.
With the posters appearing in Ahmedabad and Delhi against Modi and in favour of Joshi, the third round of battle between the two leaders has started. However, Joshi denied any role in putting up the posters in Ahmedabad. Talking to Millennium Post, the BJP leader said, 'I never instructed anybody to put up these posters. Whosoever is doing this is acting against the BJP.'
This is for the first time that such posters have come up on the walls of Ahmedabad since Modi took over the reins of Gujarat. Joshi ruled the roost in the state during the chief-ministership of Keshubhai Patel in the late 90s. He was an important organising secretary at that time and was successful in implementing the agenda of the party. One of his important associates was the former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya.
Though situation changed and Joshi was shunted out of Gujarat to Delhi, he remains a strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man. This is not the first time that Joshi has acted against Modi. Along with Patel and Kashiram Rana, he had tried to queer the pitch for Modi in Gujarat from time to time. But, Modi had always saved himself through the blessings of Lal Krishna Advani. Even during the assembly poll in 2007, the Keshubhai camp had tried to make things tough for Modi, but they failed.
Joshi enjoys the patronage of Gadkari, but his failure to turn things around in Uttar Pradesh has weakened him. However, these posters will not be a one-off affair. In the days to come, Kashiram Rana will address a OBC rally soon that can go against Modi.
The posters took the anti-Modi war to a new level. In a clear refernce to the manner in which Joshi was asked to resign from the national executive of the BJP, a poster in Ahmedabad read 'Ek Neta ko Khush Kare, Dusre ka Istifa Mange … Kya Yahi Hain BJP Ki Niti' (Making one leader happy, asking for the resignation of another, is this the policy of the BJP?).
The first round of battle between Joshi and Modi was won by the former during the Uttar Pradesh assembly election. After being re-inducted into the party, Joshi was made in-charge of the state by the BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Modi had refused to campaign in the state because of Joshi's presence. But despite being Modi a star campaigner, the party had stuck to its decision of keeping Joshi in. While Joshi tasted victory over Modi in Uttar Pradesh, the Mumbai incident was a sweet revenge for the Gujarat chief minister.
With the posters appearing in Ahmedabad and Delhi against Modi and in favour of Joshi, the third round of battle between the two leaders has started. However, Joshi denied any role in putting up the posters in Ahmedabad. Talking to Millennium Post, the BJP leader said, 'I never instructed anybody to put up these posters. Whosoever is doing this is acting against the BJP.'
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