Firing a fresh salvo at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his predecessor and veteran BJP leader, Keshubhai Patel, today said that the entire state is “living in fear” under the present regime.
A known detractor of Modi, Patel, who had been in political wilderness for four years, has become active and is of late attending different public gathering in the run-up to state elections due in December.
Patel was unceremoniously removed from the post of chief minister by the BJP and was replaced later in 2001.
“I had earlier said in a function of Patidar (Patel) community that my community is leaving under fear, but today after reading newspapers I have come to the conclusion that entire Gujarat is living under fear,” Patel said here today addressing a gathering of Rohit community.
Patel, earlier in Surat and Sidsar temple town of Rajkot district, had said that his community members were living in fear.
In the run up to 2007 elections, Patel had alleged that there was a “mini-emergency” like situation under the Modi government.
However, after the landslide victory of Modi in the 2007 elections, Patel preferred lying low. But in the election year, he has once again started making appearance in public meetings.
Today, he shared stage with Gordhan Zadafia, the former minister of state for Home in Modi Government who later formed his own political outfit, Maha-Gujarat Janta Party.
–PTi