Keshubhai in Amreli, wrests municipality

Express news service : Rajkot, Tue Aug 28 2012, 05:19 hrs

In his first show in Amreli, the hub of BJP rebels, Keshubhai Patel received a shot in the arm when 13 of the 15 ruling Nationalist Congress Party councillors joined his Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP), thus delivering the first civic body in his party's kitty on a day when the former BJP veteran addressed a huge gathering here.
The rally attended by over 10,000 people was held at old Jaisingh Para, an area dominated by Leuva Patels, the community to which Keshubhai belongs.
Addressing the gathering, the 84-year-old RSS veteran repeated his earlier accusations that the Narendra Modi government was favouring industries over people.
However, Keshubhai and his colleagues Gordhan Zadaphia, Suresh Mehta and Kashiram Rana, did not make any reference to the Rs 500-crore fishing scam allegedly involving Agriculture Minister Dilip Sanghani.
Sanghani is among few Leuva Patel leaders in the BJP who has openly criticised Keshubhai, his former mentor.
The gathering at the venue comprised locals and villagers from nearby places ferried by GPP workers in vehicles.
Meanwhile, two senior local leaders from the BJP -- party's Amreli unit's former president Pragji Hirpara and former state transport corporation's chairman Garban Barad -- have also joined the BJP.
From the Congress, five including former minister Madhu Bhuva have switched sides and joined the GPP.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/keshubhai-in-amreli-wrests-municipality/994209/

Gujarat EDN

IE  28AUG2012