Senior Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav has said Gujarat riots was one of the key factors for the National Democratic Alliance debacle in the last Lok Sabha elections.
A key Bharatiya Janata Party ally, Yadav made this comment in an interview to a prominent Hindi weekly.
Bhandari seeks probe into riots
In the no-holds-barred interview, Yadav also attacked his own party president, George Fernandes, while praising the ruling United Progressive Alliance government at the centre for controlling "elements like Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia".
The comments come on the heels of former Gujarat governor S S Bhandari's criticism of the Gujarat government vis-a-vis tackling the riots.
'Godhra akin to Gandhi assassination'
"Even in the BJP there is a churning of thoughts on this issue," he said.
"I have always felt strongly about what Bhandari said. I had spoken twice to the then prime minister (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) during the riots. However, it did not appear that he would echo NDA's sentiments or would strictly implement NDA's agenda," Yadav said.
"If there is anything over which the NDA allies feel sorry, it is Gujarat", he said.
Asked whether the BJP should have removed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, he said it was an internal matter of the party.