At an occasion hosted by channel TV9 on Saturday, BJP state chief C R Paatil mentioned that Bhupendra Patel will stay the Chief Minister ought to the social gathering come again to energy in Gujarat and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Residence Amit Shah will resolve “all” the tickets for the approaching Meeting elections within the state.
Whereas the reshuffle of all the Vijay Rupani Cupboard final yr was a shock, and the selection of Patel to exchange him as CM much more so, BJP sources mentioned Paatil’s assertion was not sudden. Having taken over on September 13 final yr, Patel has managed to stay away from the highlight, shun controversy and, largely, get the work carried out – in different phrases, show the person the social gathering needed him to be within the run-up to the elections.
After 24 years of uninterrupted BJP governments in Gujarat, 12 of which had Modi as CM, there’s “a system in place”, say social gathering leaders, for appointing CMs and working governments within the state, suggesting that Patel needed to do little besides not make errors. With the theme of the BJP marketing campaign in states currently being “double engine ki sarkar”, the promise to voters anyway is growth powered proper from the highest, on the Centre, ought to they select a BJP authorities.
“What did he (Patel) need to do anyway, besides keep the established order?” mentioned a BJP chief, including that the first-time MLA from Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad, thrust into the CM put up, had carried out that appreciatively.
A Kadva Patidar like Patel, the chief identified that Rupani, introduced in mid-term as a substitute for Anandiben Patel, had been retained as CM too when the BJP got here again to energy in 2017.
Nonetheless, the actual fact is also that the BJP doesn’t wish to shake up issues an excessive amount of, with elections so close to. Get together leaders admit that whereas the Rupani change was easy, there have been a number of ruffled feathers. A pacesetter mentioned the BJP excessive command “wish to give a semblance of stability” by repeating Patel.
By the way, earlier than Paatil’s assertion of religion in Patel, Rupani was moved out the best way, getting an project after a yr of ready which is able to see him away from Gujarat as in-charge of faraway Punjab and Chandigarh. Simply days earlier than Paatil’s TV9 interplay, Rupani had informed The Indian Specific in an interview that he didn’t know until the night time earlier than that he was going to be dropped, and that he thought he had fulfilled most, if not all, the objectives required of him as CM.
Patel’s yr lengthy tenure has not been devoid of crises, together with floods, with components of Saurashtra going beneath water. The federal government has needed to retract a controversial stray cattle management Invoice following protests, been questioned over a hooch tragedy that left 42 useless within the dry state, seen a haul of three,000 kg heroin on the Mundra port that has been mired in controversy, confronted agitations by authorities workers, and encountered blowback over remission of life sentences of 11 convicts within the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case.
Extra just lately, two of Patel’s cupboard ministers, Rajendra Trivedi and Purnesh Modi, had been stripped of their key portfolios following complaints of “inefficiency”. Patel now holds these portfolios – Income, and Roads and Buildings. Paatil mentioned within the interview to TV9 that the choice to strip the portfolios was taken in view of the approaching elections.
The excessive factors of Patel’s tenure embody the Narmada waters reaching the farthest finish of Kutch, the signing up of a contract with Vedanta-Foxconn for a prestigious semiconductor facility, Gujarat successful the bid to host the Nationwide Video games for the primary time, and attending to host the Defence Expo — all seen as having the blessings of the Modi authorities on the Centre.
Even because the BJP-ruled Maharashtra wrung its fingers over the misplaced Vedanta-Foxconn challenge, “stability” was cited by the businesses as one of many causes to shift to Gujarat.
Beneath Patel’s management, the BJP has additionally carried out commendably within the two elections it confronted: to the Gandhinagar Municipal Company and near 9,000 gram panchayats. Whereas the BJP received 41 of the 44 seats within the Gandhinagar company, it’s estimated to have bagged greater than 70% of the gram panchayat seats, which aren’t fought on social gathering symbols.
Whereas the approaching Gujarat elections pose a problem within the form of the Aam Aadmi Get together, Patel could have the mighty Modi-Shah duo to see him by the polls.
Patel’s dexterity in holding the ship regular regardless of being a first-time MLA working a ministry of 24, of largely first-time ministers, has not gone unnoticed. A senior social gathering office-bearer described the CM as a person who takes selections slowly however steadily, preserving to his “limitations”. “I don’t assume that the Bhupendra Patel authorities was appointed with the hope that it’s going to carry out a miracle. The temporary was clear; to not commit any main mistake. And the federal government has caught by that… It’s true that Patel has not needed to take any main selections, however this too was not anticipated. Given his lack of expertise within the prime put up and the prevailing troublesome occasions, one should give him credit score for not taking any incorrect resolution. And every time some errors had been made (just like the non-appointment of an OBC Fee in time to fulfill a court docket situation, or the cattle Invoice), the harm management was carried out very swiftly.”
The chief additionally cited lack of dissent as one other level in favour of Patel. “Even the taking away of portfolios of the 2 senior ministers noticed no protests from their supporters.”
A Leuva Patidar BJP chief from Saurashtra mentioned: “One doesn’t know what’s going to occur after the elections. However usually talking, there was no main agitation just like the Patidar reservation, the unreserved (common) courses are additionally comfortable… Leuva and Kadva Patidars are roughly united now, everybody needs samajik samrasta (social concord).”
A person of few phrases, wearing shirts and trousers in contrast to most of his Gujarat counterparts, Patel has additionally not let his authorities be slowed down by pointless rows often related to the BJP, and triggered typically by its affiliated outfits. One in all Patel’s strongest public statements was that his authorities “had no downside with what anybody ate”, on the peak of protests by some BJP leaders in opposition to in opposition to non-veg meals being bought on the streets.
There have been no untoward statements or celebrations by BJP ranks following the arrest of activist Teesta Setalvad or the discharge of the Bilkis accused.
Leaders say if Patel enjoys the belief of Amit Shah, Modi too appreciates these qualities within the CM. He’s recognized to explain Bhupendra Patel as “mrudu ane makkam (gentle and agency)”.