The fate of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel hangs in balance as the Central BJP leadership awaits the results of the five state Assembly polls held over the past two months. According to well-placed sources, party president Amit Shah has been pushing for a change in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is his home turf too, as he is of the opinion that the party has lost clout in the past two years.
Anandiben Patel became the first woman Chief Minister of the state after Narendra Modi shifted to the national Capital to take residence at 7 Race Course Road. Patel’s tenure has been marred with violent agitations from her own community which has been demanding reservation. Taking a cue from the “retirement policy” followed by the party so far, Shah has pushed the line that since Anandiben is about to turn 75, her replacement should be found.
The matter came to boil on Monday because of a spate meetings held by Shah and the Prime Minister with party general secretary Om Prakash Mathur and Gujarat Minister Nitinbhai Patel. Mathur, a confidant of both Modi and Shah, was earlier in charge of the party unit in Gujarat. Nitin Patel, a trusted minister in Modi’s Cabinet when he was Chief Minister, is presently the Health Minister in Anandiben Patel’s ministry.
Incidentally, the Gujarat CM too met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at South Block on Monday ostensibly to discuss the drought situation. However, after the meeting Anandiben cancelled all her programmes scheduled for the next three days. This move added fuel to the news of her stepping down.
Party sources said that there is a feeling that there was need to consolidate position in Prime Minister’s home state ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled for 2017 end. The BJP has been in power in the state since 1998. During this period it has seen three Chief Ministers — Keshubhai Patel, Narendra Modi and Anandiben Patel.
Sources told Millennium Post that Om Prakash Mathur has submitted a report to the Prime Minister and Amit Shah regarding the current political situation in Gujarat. The report allegedly finds Anandiben at fault for mishandling the Patel agitation and calls for need to end infighting in the state.
In addition to the reverses in the civic polls last year, the controversy around her daughter-in-law in a land deal is also going against the Chief Minister. There is worry that the almost year-long Patel agitation may have severely depleted BJP’s core vote bank and the party may be ousted from power next year.
The party leadership both in Delhi and Gandhinagar have decided to keep mum on the issue. The party in charge of Gujarat Vijaybhai Rupani told Millennium Post that: “It is a political rumour, I have been also hearing. But all are rumours”. However, sources are of the opinion that the decision about her replacement will be taken any time this week after the poll results.
Though there are several contenders to succeed Anandiben including Vijay Rupani, national vice-president Purshotam Rupala and senior-most state party general secretary Bhikhu Dalsaniya, Nitinbhai Patel is said to be the strongest contender.