Thursday, August 18 2005 15:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Stepping up pressure for removal of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dissidents today (Aug 18, 2005) held parleys with the party top brass including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee even as Modi loyalists went on a counter offensive demanding his continuance.

A day after the party's General Secretary In charge of the state Om Mathur ruled out removal of Modi as Chief Minister, the dissidents led by former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel met Vajpayee and apprised him of the 'situation' in the state.

"We have apprised the party High Command of the situation of the Government, the party and the people on every aspect but we cannot tell you what exactly transpired as it is an internal matter of the party", Patel, who was accompanied by another former Chief Minister Suresh Mehta and former Union Minister Kashiram Rana, told reporters after the 45-minute meeting with Vajpayee.

Senior party leader Jaswant Singh was also present.

Taking strong exception to Mathur's reported statement that disciplinary action would be taken against those who make public statements on the issue, Patel said, "We have not violated any discipline."

Only party President L K Advani can decide on that issue, not anybody else.

"The responsibility of the in charge is to coordinate and take everyone along. It would not be fair on his part to take sides".

Asked why the dissidents were not meeting Advani, he said, "We will meet him, if necessary. We had met him and Vajpayee four months back also".

Later, Patel, Rana and Mehta met senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi.

Earlier in the day, dissident leaders Mehta and former state party unit Chief Rajendra Singh Rana met party Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan and are understood to have protested against Modi's 'dictatorial style of functioning' and demanded a change in leadership.

However, a day after the dissidents arrived in the capital and started meeting the party top brass, Modi loyalists too went on the offensive.

State Ministers Kaushik Patel and Amit Shah met Naidu and Mahajan and are understood to have countered the complaints of the dissidents and insisted on Modi's continuation as Chief Minister keeping in view his 'spectacular performance'.

Four MPs considered close to Modi, Jayaben Thakkar, Jayanti Barot, Pushpdan Gadhvi and Hari Patel, also met Naidu and Mahajan and are believed to have put forward a strong case for his continuance.

Several dissident MLAs including Gordhan Zadafiya are also camping in the capital and were meeting several party leaders.