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Srivastava quits after Samata's volte face on Modi

Samata Party general secretary and spokesman Shambhu Srivastava on Tuesday night resigned from both the posts after party president V V Krishna Rao repudiated his demand for removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

"I do not think I can carry on with my party positions with any sense of dignity and self respect. I am, therefore, resigning from the post of general secretary and spokesperson of the party," he said in a letter to Rao from Patna.

Taking strong exception to Rao's statement issued on Tuesday that change of leadership in Gujarat was not the answer, Srivastava said, "Your statement defending Narendra Modi has made my position absolutely untenable. Both of us were in Delhi till this morning when I flew to Patna. You never mentioned about this to me."

Recalling a conversation on the subject he had with a journalist on Monday at the party office in the presence of Rao, Srivastava said, "You please recall that when he (journalist) was speaking to you yesterday (Monday) in the party office, I was present. You pointedly endorsed my statement (made to the media) on Gujarat to him. I really do not know what transpired between my departure from Delhi and arrival in Patna that such a turnaround in party position has come. Heavens would not have fallen if you had waited for a couple of more hours."

Maintaining that party leader and Defence Minister George Fernandes had endorsed his stand, he said, "You (V V Krishna Rao) are well aware that what I spoke was not only the party stand but also reflected the overwhelming sentiment in the party."

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