Tuesday, August 23 2005 10:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Deepening the crisis in Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Minister Bhavku Unghad, said to be close to rebel leader Keshubhai Patel, yesterday (Aug 22, 2005) quit the Narendra Modi Ministry alleging the Chief Minister for meeting Patel humiliated him.

Modi, whose ouster dissidents led by Patel are demanding, sent the resignation to Governor Naval Kishor Sharma for acceptance after state BJP chief Vaju Vala told him to drop Unghad, Minister of State for Youth and Cultural Affairs, from the Ministry.

Rejecting Unghad's allegations, Vala said, "These are absolutely baseless and wrong. I have personally spoken to the Chief Minister and he has denied that Unghad was humiliated at the Cabinet meeting."

An MLA from Amreli district in Saurashtra region,Unghad, who was admitted to hospital on August 18, a day after he was reportedly pulled up by the Cabinet, came in an ambulance to hand over the letter to Vala seeking permission to resign.

As Vala was not available, the letter was handed over to his Secretary.

Lying inside the ambulance, Unghad told reporters "I have sought permission from the party President to resign from the Ministry as I felt humiliated at their (Cabinet Ministers) behavior towards me after I went to meet Keshubhai."

The development comes a day after BJP chief L K Advani said the state BJP had strengthened under Modi's leadership and showered praise on the Chief Minister or 'honest and effective' governance.