HMEDABAD: Nationalist Congress Party gradually emerging as a force
to reckon with in Gujarat is likely to pose a threat not only to BJP
but the Congress and both the major parties have started closing
their ranks before it spoils their prospects in 2007 Assembly polls.

Perturbed over possibility of some suspended BJP MLAs like Rakesh
Rav, Sidharth Parmar and Ramila Desai might throw their weight in
favour of NCP in case they are denied BJP ticket, some senior
leaders have started hobnobbing with these MLAs to see that they do
not leave the party.

State BJP general secretary Jayantilal Barot had a two-hour long
talk with Rakesh Rav at the BJP office in Khanpur and it is believed
that Barot persuaded the MLA from Matar not to take any hasty
decision as he would be given a party ticket to recontest from Matar.

It is not known whether similiar efforts would be made to convince
Sidharth Parmar and Desai who have also been placed under suspension
following anti-Modi campaign they had launched last year.

Reliable party sources have hinted that the suspension against Rav
would be withdrawn shortly while the fate of Parmar elected from
Rajkot city and Desai representing Kheralu in Mehsana district is
still uncertain.

While in the Congress camp too, hectic political activities are
witnessed ever since Bharatsinh Solanki has been made GPCC president.

A section of the Congress leaders in North Gujarat headed by former
minister Ishversinh Chavda have reportedly threatened the party that
if corrective measures are not taken, several taluka and district
level leaders of the Congress would join the NCP in coming days.

It is learnt that Chavda is leaving for Delhi on Monday to meet NCP
supremo and union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to discuss the
political situation and whether the NCP would offer him better
opportunities in case he joined the party alongwith his supporters
in north Gujarat.