Saturday, December 31 2005 10:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The conduct of Sanjay Joshi, who recently stepped down as Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) General Secretary following circulation of CDs depicting him in 'poor light', was questionable in the past as well, alleged a former BJP MLA and current President of Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association, Yatin Oza.

In a letter to veteran BJP leader Keshubhai Patel yesterday, he 'reminded' him that in June 1998, when Patel was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Oza, who was then a BJP MLA from Sabarmati constituency in the city, had 'informed' him of seeing Joshi in a compromising position with a woman party worker.

Oza said, however, he himself came under severe attack from party colleagues and was forced to quit the party for speaking against Joshi, who was then the General Secretary of the Gujarat unit of the party.

"Joshi then held a very powerful position in Gujarat and my revelations about him to the Chief Minister in private, surprisingly came out in the open," Oza told sources.

"I had just personally informed Keshubhai about the matter as I did not have any proof regarding the matter. In turn I, instead of Joshi, had to lose my place in the party," he added.

Joshi's conduct was very much in question when he was an office bearer of BJP in Gujarat in 1990s, he said.

Oza said he had written the letter, (copies of which were circulated to mediapersons), only to 'remind' Keshubhai of the earlier incident.

Keshubhai, however, could not be contacted on the issue.