By IANS
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday issued show-cause notices to former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel and MP Kanshiram Rana, and suspended two others for “engaging in anti-party” activities during the assembly elections.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told IANS that the party had issued show-cause notices to party MPs Keshubhai Patel and Kanshiram Rana, who was a minister in the National Democratic Alliance government in New Delhi. It suspended MPs Vallabh Bhai Katheria and Somabhai Patel.
“Keshubhai and Kanshiram have been given 7-10 days’ time to reply to the notice,” Javadekar said.
Party sources said that BJP national general secretary Vinay Katiyar issued the orders Friday after being asked to do so by party president Rajnath Singh.
An internal enquiry had been conducted during the electoral campaign and the four MPs were found guilty of “indulging in anti-party activities which were harming the electoral prospects of BJP”.
There were clear signs of a rift in the BJP’s Gujarat unit since the last few months with many detractors of Chief Minister Narendra Modi unhappy at his “dictatorial” style of functioning.
The suspended MPs are known for their dislike of Modi.
During the poll campaign, a pamphlet was doing the rounds praising Keshubhai Patel and criticising Modi. Patel had to finally defend himself in front of the press and deny that he was responsible for the pamphlets.
Political observers felt that the action against the mps was taken at Modi’s behest and this will further strengthen his position in the party.