Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel Quits BJP, to Float New Party

Ahmedabad, Aug 4 (Agencies): Taking further his political battle against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, former CM Keshubhai Patel today quit from the BJP.

Keshubhai, who was unceremoniously removed from the chief minister's post in 2001 and was replaced with Narendra Modi, has decided to fight back, banking on the numerically-strong Patel community.

Keshubhai, who has vowed to oust Narendra Modi, announced his decision to float a new political party ahead of Gujarat polls and said that he would talk about it tomorrow.

He had held several meetings with anti-Modi camps in the recent weeks.

MahaGujarat Janata Party (MJP) has already made it clear that it would merge in the political party to be floated by Patel.

Both the BJP and the Congress had earlier said that they do not consider the former chief minister's proposed party a threat ahead of the Assembly elections.

Keshubhai Patel, who has been raising the pitch of his campaign against Narendra Modi in the recent months, had dubbed Narendra Modi a "demon" who is responsible for the misery of common people of the state.

"Narendra Modi is a demon who is responsible for the misery of common people of Gujarat. As per our ancient tales, the life of demons used to be in some bird. To win the fight against such demons, the hero has to kill the bird. In the same way, Modi\'s life is in your votes. Do not give him vote and he will be finished," Patel had said.