Bhupendra Patel was sworn in as Gujarat's 17th Chief Minister on Monday. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindan)Bhupendra Patel Swearing-in highlights: Two days after Vijay Rupani resigned, Bhupendra Patel was sworn in as the 17th Gujarat Chief Minister on Monday. The 59-year-old, who represents Ahmedabad’s Ghatlodia constituency, took oath at the Raj Bhavan. Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated Patel after the swearing-in ceremony. The Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, including Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, were also present on the occasion.
Soon after Patel took oath, PM Narendra Modi congratulated him for taking over as the CM. PM Modi tweeted, “Congratulations to Bhupendra Bhai on taking oath as CM of Gujarat. I have known him for years and have seen his exemplary work, be it in the BJP Organisation or in civic administration and community service. He will certainly enrich Gujarat’s growth trajectory.”
Earlier in the day, outgoing Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was seen as a frontrunner for the post of the Chief Minister following the resignation of Vijay Rupani told The Indian Express he does not feel “upset or sidelined”. Patel, who was teary-eyed while speaking to reporters, said he has “a debt of the people” who supported him throughout.
The BJP sprang a surprise on Sunday by announcing Patel, 59, for the top job with just 14 months to go for the Gujarat Assembly polls. Party leaders told The Indian Express Patel’s name was proposed by Vijay Rupani at the BJP legislature party meeting, and seconded by outgoing Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.
Patel is from the Kadva sub-group of the influential Patidar community, and is the first Chief Minister from this segment. Party leaders said he ticked most of the boxes for the BJP ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections for which state party chief C R Paatil has set an ambitious target of winning all 182 seats.
Bhupendra Patel with Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021. (PTI Photo)
Congress leader P Chidambaram Monday said the BJP is busy replacing its "non-performing" chief ministers but the list is long. His reaction came two days after Vijay Rupani resigned as Gujarat chief minister. Bhupendra Patel succeeded him.
"The BJP is busy replacing its non-performing Chief Ministers. When did the BJP leadership realize they were non-performing CMs," he asked on Twitter. Before Rupani in Gujarat, the BJP had replaced Lingayat stalwart B S Yediyurappa as Karnataka CM with Basavaraj S Bommai. (PTI)
Bhupendra Patel takes charge as Gujarat Chief Minister.
Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani says, “I have conveyed my congratulations to him (Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel). I have full faith that under his leadership, the party will move forward, as will the development of the state. Gujarat will become a role model for all states.”
He adds, “In the upcoming Assembly polls, BJP will win Gujarat under the leadership of Bhupendra Patel. I will keep on working as a party worker and will follow his (Patel) instructions.” (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulates Bhupendra Patel after the swearing-in ceremony. CMs of BJP ruled states, including Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, were also present on the occasion.
PM Narendra Modi congratulated Bhupendra Patel after he was sworn in as the Gujarat CM on Monday.
Modi tweeted, “Congratulations to Bhupendra Bhai on taking oath as CM of Gujarat. I have known him for years and have seen his exemplary work, be it in the BJP Organisation or in civic administration and community service. He will certainly enrich Gujarat’s growth trajectory.”
He added, “During his five years as CM, Vijay Rupani Ji has undertaken many people-friendly measures. He worked tirelessly for all sections of society. I am certain he will continue to contribute to public service in the times to come.”
Bhupendra Patel takes oath as the 17th Gujarat Chief Minister.
Gujarat's Chief Minister-designate Bhupendra Patel on Monday called on Vijay Rupani, who resigned from the top post last week, 15 months ahead of the state Assembly polls.
Patel, who is scheduled to take oath as the next CM, met Rupani at the latter's official residence in Gandhinagar in the morning and held discussions on various issues, a release issued by the state government said.
Before meeting Rupani, Bhupendra Patel met Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel at the latter's residence in Ahmedabad.
In the wake of incessant rains causing a flood-like situation in some parts of Jamnagar, Bhupendra Patel instructed the district authorities to make necessary arrangements to airlift about 35 people stranded in three villages, which have been inundated and cut off from other parts of the district, another government release said. (PTI)
Earlier in the day, Bhupendra Patel offered ‘gau pooja’ at Swaminarayan Temple in Ahmedabad.
Union Minister Amit Shah has landed in Ahmedabad to attend Bhupendra Patel's swearing-in ceremony.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony today, outgoing Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel tells ANI: 'Bhupendra Patel is my old family friend. I congratulated him. We will be happy to see him take oath as CM. He has also asked for my guidance whenever needed.
'I'm not upset. I've been working in the BJP since I was 18, and will keep on working. Whether I get a position in the party or not, I will continue serving the party,' he adds.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Monday will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Bommai will fly to Ahmedabad for the ceremony after attending his first Assembly session as Chief Minister. Like first-time MLA Patel, Bommai is also considered a surprise pick, considering his proximity to former chief minister and BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa. Read more here
Vijay Rupani's exit, in circumstances that are strikingly similar to his elevation to chief ministerial office in 2016, speaks of a larger trend in the BJP. The party has visibly downsized the office of the chief minister in states where it runs the government — even assembly elections are fought in the name of the prime minister. The presidential mode of campaign in the general election, which has coincided with the rise of Narendra Modi in national politics in 2014, has percolated down to assembly elections.
Gujarat, where Modi has also been the chief minister, is the best example of this trend: Votes are sought for Modi in elections at all levels — Rupani and the new CM, Bhupendra Patel, were not prominent in state politics until their elevation to the state’s top office. Read more here
Bhupendra Patel is a first-time MLA from Ghatlodia, the Assembly constituency vacated by former chief minister Anandiben Patel after she was appointed Madhya Pradesh Governor. In the 2017 Assembly elections, Patel defeated Congress candidate Shashikant Patel by over one lakh votes, considered to be the highest winning margin.
Patel, under whose leadership the 2022 assembly elections will be fought, contested his first major election in 2010 as corporator from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). There too, he had a swift rise to the top post — he became standing committee chairperson in the AMC in his first stint as corporator. Ritu Sharma writes
Bhupendra Patel will take oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on Monday. Patel, who represents Ahmedabad’s Ghatlodia constituency, will be sworn in this afternoon at Raj Bhavan. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in ceremony, along with a host of other political leaders.