Modi has his way again; Sanjay Joshi resigns from BJP

After forcing Sanjay Joshi out of the Bharatiya Janata Party's national executive, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday ensured that his bete noire is also out of the party.

BJP, whose president Nitin Gadkari and Modi joined hands at the party conclave at Mumbai a fortnight ago to force Joshi to resign from the executive, on Friday announced that Joshi has resigned from the party too.

Joshi, who is a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak and was a general secretary of the BJP, has requested Gadkari that he be "relieved from the party". This was accepted by the BJP president.

This new development comes as a shot in the arm for Modi, as he did not want Joshi to have any role in the party.

The BJP and the RSS have been divided on the manner in which Joshi had to resign from the National Executive, as Modi put forth this as a condition for him to attend the Mumbai conclave.

Since then, the BJP and RSS mouthpieces have written for or against the two leaders.

While BJP mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh and RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya hit out at Modi, another RSS mouthpiece Organiser spoke in Modi's favour.

The matter did not end there as posters appeared in Ahmedabad and at the BJP headquarters, batting for Joshi and attacking Modi.

Some posters were put up on Friday in Ahmedabad in support of Joshi.

Joshi is now likely to work as an RSS worker and give up the responsibilities entrusted to him by the BJP, sources said. Joshi was handling the BJP's election programme for the forthcoming local body polls in Uttar Pradesh.