Ahmedabad, Sept. 17: Gordhan Zadaphia wants to get back at Narendra Modi by joining the Congress, but the 2002 riots are coming in the way.

Minority leaders in Gujarat have warned the Congress that if the “riot-tainted” former home minister is allowed to join, it would put a question mark on the party’s “secular credentials”.

The convener of the rebel BJP group, Zadaphia was home minister when the riots broke out and, along with the chief minister, is believed to be responsible for the violence that claimed nearly a thousand lives.

“His hardline Hindutva brand image and involvement in the riots is a well-known fact,” said social activist Hanif Lakdawala, explaining why Zadaphia, a protégé of VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia, is “hated the most” by Muslims.

Sources said the community has reservations only about Zadaphia and not the other BJP rebels who want to switch loyalties either because they have been suspended for their anti-Modi stand or have no hope of getting tickets for the elections due later his year.

“If Zadaphia joins the Congress, Muslims might become inactive in the elections,” said senior Congress leader J.V. Momin.

Besides Zadaphia, some of the other BJP rebels who want to join the Congress are Sidharth Parmar, Ramila Desai and Dhiru Gajera.