Gandhinagar: BJP today issued show-cause notice to rebel party leaders Keshubhai Patel and Kashiram Rana for anti-party activities in Gujarat.

Also, MPs Vallavbhai Kathiria and Somabhai Patel were suspended from the party for 'indiscipline' this afternoon.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the party had to take action against the leaders as they did not show any change in their behaviour that the party was expecting towards the end of the campaigning.

The BJP has been facing a virtual revolt in Gujarat with Patel leading the Modi detractors and the party's action is seen in the context of Singh's determination to enforce discipline.

Patel had described Modi as a "dictator" and appealed to the voters of Gujarat that it was time to "remove him" in the newspaper advertisement which appeared a week before the first phase of assembly elections on December 11.

The advertisement, brought out by Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti, a grouping of Modi detractors, appeared despite BJP's efforts to woo Keshubhai to its side.

The action was taken on the basis of a report from the local leadership and information collected on their public statements, the letters issued to them said. They contained almost similar charges and were signed by party General Secretary Vinay Katiyar.

The BJP central leadership told Rana that his "wave of change" remark was "anti-party" and asked him to explain why he made such a statement which damaged the party's poll efforts.

Both Kathiria and Somabhai Patel, MPs from Rajkot and Surendranagar respectively, were charged with "indiscipline" and were suspended from the party's primary membership for six years.

They will be issued a chargesheet soon after which they have been asked to respond within 10 days, failing which the party will initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.

Source : PTI