Among the many former members of the Vijay Rupani Cupboard who’ve written in saying they don’t need to contest the approaching elections, the case of Nitin Patel is probably probably the most unlucky. Since Narendra Modi moved on from Gujarat to change into the Prime Minister, Patel has been hoping to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair within the state. First beneath Anandiben Patel, after which Rupani, her substitute, he needed to be content material with Deputy CM. Dropped when the Rupani Cupboard was fully overhauled for brand spanking new faces final 12 months, the 66-year-old now’s even farther from the CM’s put up.
A robust chief of the Patidar group – the Kadva-Patidar sub-caste group – Patel belongs to to Kadi in north Gujarat’s Mehsana district, a area to which all of the highly effective leaders of the present BJP dispensation, from Modi to Union Residence Minister Amit Shah and Anandiben (the Uttar Pradesh Governor now), belong.
A commerce scholar in faculty, Patel has held vital ministerial portfolios in Gujarat equivalent to Finance, Roads and Buildings, Narmada and City Improvement. He was the Well being minister on the peak of the Covid pandemic. He has been with the BJP since 1977, when he began as a councillor, and has been elected as MLA six instances. He additionally established himself as a agency BJP loyalist when he didn’t be a part of the 1995 rebel by Shankersinh Vaghela. Amongst Patel’s few ballot losses has been the 2004 contest for the Mehsana Lok Sabha seat.
Patel has additionally been a robust BJP voice in opposition to the Congress, usually operating into controversy because of his remarks. In August 2021, at a VHP perform, he stated that speak of the Structure, secularism and legislation would final solely so long as Hindus have been in a majority, and if the group grew to become a minority, “nothing will stay”. Just lately, after 4 members of a household from Gujarat froze to loss of life making an attempt to cross over illegally into the USA, Patel stated this occurred as a result of there have been no alternatives obtainable within the state.
In August 2016, Patel’s title had first surfaced as a potential CM reportedly at Anandiben’s suggestion. Compelled out on the peak of the Patidar agitation, with the 2017 polls approaching, Anandiben really useful the second greatest Patidar chief after her within the BJP as substitute. Shah, nevertheless, is believed to have picked Rupani and prevailed. As CM and Deputy CM, Rupani and Patel didn’t have one of the best of relations.
After the BJP gained the 2017 elections, Patel was once more unnoticed because the get together veered round Rupani as CM. Patel was not even given portfolios he held earlier equivalent to Finance and City Improvement, and he staged a kind of rebel by staying away from taking cost of workplace for round 48 hours. Lastly, after he bought Finance, Patel took workplace.
Whereas the BJP claims Rupani, Patel and the others determined of their very own accord to not contest, it stays to be seen how Patel treats this digital retirement. A senior get together chief stated: “This non-candidature is definitely not a full cease in Patel’s profession. The get together will definitely use his companies, both by fielding him within the Lok Sabha or by sending him to the Rajya Sabha.”
Sources stated the get together may additionally take into account appointing Patel as Governor of some vital state. Similar to mentor Anandiben.