BJP dissident leader Gordhan Zadaphia has given an ultimatum to the party high-command. He says the BJP Central leadership has to decide between the party and the person (Narendra Modi).
‘’We have told the Central leadership that no individual is greater than the party. With Modi at the helm of affairs, the party is sure to lose in the elections. You have to choose between the party and the person. The ball is in your court. Decide by this month-end, else we would decide our course of next action,’’ Zadaphia told this newspaper in an exclusive interview here on Tuesday. He was in Bhuj to meet party workers and leaders to enlist their support and participation in the proposed farmers’ meet to be held in Rajkot on Friday.
He said that they had exposed Chief Minister Modi’s claims and shown his true colours to the masses.
“Our efforts have been fruitful in that we have detached the masses from Modi in our first phase. Our next phase would be to get connected with the masses and see that there was no division of votes in the next election,’’ he said.
When asked what if there was no response from the high-command to their ultimatum, the former Home minister said that they would take their decision after reviewing the situation at that time.
“We have with us our plan of action but we would choose that alternative which is in the best interest of the State,’’ he said, adding that he could not reveal it now.
‘’You know how cunning Modi is. I cannot tell you more than this now,’’ he said. He, however, attributed their success in “weaning away the masses from Modi’’ to their united efforts.
When asked if this included the Congress, he said: “All parties, including the Congress and the NCP, and all-Right thinking people of the State.”
He said never in the history of the State farmers had suffered as they did in the last two years. He said as many as 382 farmers had committed suicide in the State.
“This has been revealed in the RTI and this shocking incidents had happened only in the past two years,’’ he said.
He said the Modi Government gave power to the industries within a week of their application, while there was no action on applications pending for years from the agricultural sector. He said in the Keshubhai government, the agricultural sector accounted for more than 43 per cent of power which had now reduced to 23 per cent. He said 1.62 lakh farmers faced power theft cases against them.
He said this was a socio-economic issue and it was wrong to treat farmers as “criminal’’.
‘’If you do not give the farmer agricultural connections for ever, if you do not supply them adequate power to enable them to save the crop, what would they do? They would be tempted to steal power,’’ he said, adding that the State should not create such situation where such things happen.
He said the purpose behind holding farmers’ meet in various parts of the State was to organise them for their rights. He said so far 70 out of 102 planned meets had been successfully organised.
He said the Rajkot meet which was not for any particular community would have participation of five lakh farmers and this would be the biggest ever assembly of the farming community in the State.