Gujarat: Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi called on Bharatiya Janata Party rebel Keshubhai Patel at his residence to seek the blessings.
After being sworn-in as chief minister for the third consecutive time, Modi visited Patel’s home in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.
Keshubhai, a former chief minister, was issued a notice along with some other BJP leaders last week, for hurting the interests of the party during the elections.
Keshubhai’s son Bharat, who was being courted by the BJP when the dissident activities were getting intense just before the elections, also congratulated Modi over the telephone from Rajkot.
"I was in Rajkot when the chief minister was at my residence. I congratulated him and said that I would visit him to extend my greetings in person. Modi said I was welcome anytime," Bharat Patel told PTI.
Asked whether Keshubhai Patel had replied to the BJP notice, Bharat said, "he may in a day or two send his reply to the central leadership." When asked if there were chances of any patch-up between the two leaders, Patel said it was too early to comment on it.
However, the recent statements of Modi in which he talked about the qualities of "humility and grace" indicate chances of a patch up.
The more noticeable development was of Keshubhai Patel extending congratulations to Modi on Sunday.
"I congratulate Narendra Modi for BJP’s victory. For the interests of the people, both the ruling and opposition parties should work together to take Gujarat forward on the road of development," Keshubhai had said in his statement on the day election results came out.
Source: rediff.com
