GPP merges with BJP to support Modi for PM

The Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) president Gordhan Zadafia on Monday announced merger of his party with the BJP in support of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's candidature as the prime minister of India. This move assumes significance as a party formed by Modi detractors has decided to join BJP to support the very person whom then had opposed.

Zadafia has been very vocal in criticising Modi over his style of functioning and accused him of being very autocratic. He quit the BJP in 2007. He later floated his own party Mahagujarat Janta Party (MJP), which was later renamed as GPP under leadership of former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, ahead of the 2012 assembly polls.

His re-entry into the BJP is being viewed as a boost to the saffron party as he known for his ability to mobilise people at the grass root.

Along with Zadafia, over 750,000 primary members of the GPP will also join the BJP and help in its campaign promoting Modi as next prime minister of the country.

"BJP is our mother organisation which has nurtured us. Our personal difference (with Modi) are not bigger than the nation. This merger is for the well being of Gujarat and India," Zadafia said after joining the BJP at the party's headquarters in Gandhinagar today.

Gujarat BJP president R C Faldu said, "Today the entire GPP will merge with the BJP along with it senior leaders. I heartily welcome the Godrhanbhai and all the GPP members."

Zadafia was the minister of state for home in the Modi government during the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat. He was close confident of Modi in those days.

However, relation between Modi and Zadafia soured after 2002 assembly elections after which Amit Shah replaced Zadafia.

The re-entry of GPP has not gone well with senior member of the party and former chief minister in the BJP government Suresh Mehta, who has hit out at Zadafia terming his decision to merge with BJP as unilateral.

In a letter to Zadafia, Mehta has claimed that majority of the GPP members were not willing to merge with the BJP.

Even founding member of GPP Keshbhai Patel has not objected to the merger.

Patel had earlier this month quit as MLA citing health issues and announced retirement from active politics. Patel's son Bharat Patel had, recently, joined the BJP.