Click to play videoAhmedabad: After a resounding victory, Narendra Modi is adopting a statesman like approach. Almost turning emotional in front of his newly-elected MLAs, he made an attempt to reach out to all rebels and dissidents.
"We should build bridges with those who are annoyed with us and then work together," he said.
And the band of rebels were quite a few in number. As many as eight MLAs — including former chief minister, Suresh Mehta — have been suspended from the BJP for turning anti-Modi.
Two MPs were suspended on the eve of counting on disciplanry grounds and showcause notices were served against Keshu Bhai Patel and Kanshi Ram Rana.
Keshu Bhai had taken his tirade against Modi to a new level by appearing in advertisements from the Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti, calling Modi a "terrorist who must be thrown out of Gujarat". But all the rebels failed miserably in the elections.
After Modi's statement, some of them have already begun making conciliatory noises, notably Kanshi Ram Rana who said, "We all worked for BJP, the party."
In 2002, Narendra Modi made a mark for himself of being one of the shrillest and most rhetorical political orators. In 2007, something seems to have changed in him. Perhaps the realisation is dawning on him that the way to greater political success can't be through isolating people.
So in typical Sangh Parivar tradition, Modi wants to forgive all his enemies. His masks were a huge hit in the state. Having already won the battle, maybe Modi wants to put these mask even on his enemies.
(With inputs from Ashok Bagriya in New Delhi)
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