Some Cong MLAs in Gujarat to join BJP: Rajnath

BHOPAL: Apparently trying to put up a united face in poll-bound Gujarat, the BJP on Sudnay claimed that while action was taken against some Narendra Modi detractors, some Congress MLAs were coming to its fold ahead of the assembly elections.

"Some action has been taken (against detractors). The party will grow strong in Gujarat. Some Congress MLAs have joined the party and information has been received about several others showing interest in doing so," BJP President Rajnath Singh told here.

He was replying to a query on Modi detractors allegedly voicing their displeasure over his style of functioning and asking people to vote for the Congress during the polls slated in December 2007.
   
Singh, who earlier dismissed dissidence in Gujarat BJP by saying, "we have not come across that information", claimed to have received information about reasons for absence of known Modi detractors like Keshubhai Patel from the national executive meeting that concluded here.

Only recently, Keshubhai had dubbed Modi as 'Duryodhana' and had also criticised Advani for playing 'Dhruthrashtra' by ignoring the 'misdeeds' of the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Modi, who had been facing displeasure from some party leaders due to his style of functioning, for 'ignoring' elected representatives and 'curbing' their democratic powers and making bureaucrats more powerful, chose to keep mum when mediapersons sought to know reasons for the absence of his detractors during the inaugural session of the meeting.