NCP leader and Union Minister Praful Patel created a flutter in the ruling UPA by rubbishing Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s indictment of the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for the 2002 Gujarat riots. Patel’s defence of Modi came in the backdrop of reports that he was in touch with senior BJP leaders.
“If the judicial system has given certain finality to any controversy, then we should let it rest there,” he said, apparently referring to the recent clean chit that Modi got from an Ahmedabad court in a Gujarat riot case. “We are in an era when we believe that the judicial system is the final recourse to getting justice on any issue or to bring finality to any controversy. And if the judicial system has given any pronouncement, we ought to respect it. We will question it further,” Patel told reporters.
In fact, Patel has extended an olive branch to Modi even in the past. He had showered praises on Modi immediately after his victory in Gujarat elections.
BJP sources admit the engagement between Modi and Patel has increased in recent times. When Patel was in Ahmedabad recently to attend a private function, Modi deputed two of his Cabinet colleagues to escort the NCP leader from the airport to the venue of the function. These Gujarat Ministers even escorted Patel back to the airport. “Nitin Gadkari also put him in touch with Modi over the phone,” BJP sources told The Pioneer.
Patel is a lok Sabha member from Bhandara-Gondia in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, a seat that is also being eyed by Gadkari. Though the former BJP chief is interested in contesting from Nagpur — a seat that the BJP has won only once — his close aides claim Gadkari may shift to adjoining Bhandara if the going gets tough on his home turf.
BJP leaders say Patel was feeling “suffocated” following the power struggle within the NCP. A close confidant of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Patel was uncomfortable with the ongoing tussle between the Maharashtra veteran’s daughter Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit Pawar.
Pawar’s recent decision not to contest lok Sabha elections and speculation that Ajit would eventually step into his shoes is giving Patel the jitters, sources claimed. “Politics is an art of possibility. There is always scope to get new people on board. As far as Patel is concerned, we are closely watching his moves,” another senior BJP leader said.
For the record, the BJP did not give much weight to Patel’s remarks on Modi. “Several people have expressed their opinion on the clean chit that Modi has got from the court. Patel is entitled to his own views,” BJP spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi said.
Even the Congress sought to downplay Patel’s remarks saying everybody was entitled to their own opinion. “All political parties are entitled to an opinion on political issues. Praful Patel is entitled to his own opinion,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
“Justice for the crimes committed by any individual, group or party is a prerequisite for our law and Constitution. We will only request that the judicial process needs to be expedited. Anybody guilty should be punished in accordance with the law,” he said.