Pathak, who according to sources was about to go the Jaswant Singh way, was called by Singh for a meeting yesterday late evening. The senior politician had scheduled a press conference in Ahmedabad today morning to announce his decision after BJP denied him ticket for the general elections. The press conference was cancelled at the last moment after Singh's phone call to Pathak asking him to meet to discuss the ticket issue.
Pathak, on Sunday had expressed his displeasure over his party denying him ticket for the 2014 L ok Sabha elections and said that he was 'hurt' by the decision, but denied being targeted for being close to Advani.
He had then announced that he would talk to his supporters in his constituency and then decide on further course of action after BJP denied him ticket. Following Pathak's announcement his supporters observed a shutdown in Dehgam town on Monday and burnt effigies of actor Paresh Rawal who replaced the seven-time MP for the Ahmebabad east seat. Source in the BJP said that the workers in the party were aghast at the decision and wanted the party top brass to rethink.
When asked if BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was behind him being denied ticket, Pathak had said that the decision was that of the party's parliamentary board. Pathak, when questioned if Modi has become bigger than the party, said, "Nobody is bigger than the party, party is big and party worker is bigger than the party as he makes it."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)