Don’t encroach upon domain of dist party unit’s successor, Paatil advises Keshubhai

Keshubhai, please don’t do such things. You have completed your every job. You may like to think you were president and this (office) has been constructed during my tenure and therefore you have a right over it. But such rights no longer exist,” the Gujarat BJP chief said.

Paatil was addressing a public meeting of party workers and supporters after inaugurating Kutch Kamalam, the new Kutch district office in Bhuj on Monday.

Patil unveiled two plaques in the new office. One of them bears Patel’s name and identifies him as the president of the Kutch district unit of the BJP and MLA of Bhuj. The other bears the name of Varchand, identifying him as the “newly-appointed president of Kutch district BJP”.

Patel was appointed president of BJP’s Kutch unit in 2018 for a term of three years. In 2021, his term was extended for another three years. However, the BJP gave him a party ticket to contest the December 2022 assembly election from the Bhuj constituency. Subsequently, the party had asked him to resign and appointed Valamji Humbal as the in charge president.

On May 25, Varchand was appointed Patel’s successor. The same day, the party appointed a successor of Durlabhji Dethariya, the president of BJP’s Morbi district unit who was asked to step down after being elected MLA from Tankara seat. The party appointed new presidents for its Rajkot city and district units. However, Patil, while wearing a smile, also chided Patel for insisting he would hand over the charge of the party’s Kutch district unit president to Varchand only on June 5, the day the new office was scheduled to be organised.

“Keshubhai had a wish list. The first item on it was that he be given a second term. So, we repeated it. Then he felt he should get a ticket to become an MLA. So, he was given a ticket and all of you made him victorious. His other wish was the construction of the office building be completed during his tenure and he fulfilled that also. Before its inauguration, a new president was announced. So, very cleverly, he called for Devjibhai and then dialled me, informing Devjibhai was standing beside him and that though I had made the announcement (of a new president), I will hand over charge (to Devjibhai) only on 5th,” said Patil to a round of applause.
“Just like Modi installed Sengol in Lok Sabha, he (Patel) today handed over a Sengol in the form of a coconut to Devjibhai,” said Patil.

Patil also asked Patel, who was seated beside Ratnakar, organisational secretary of BJP’s state unit, about his age. When the MLA replied 67, Patil asked: “Okay, 67. So you don’t intend to contest one more election, do you?”. Patel gestured no with his hand amid smiles.

The Kutch BJP’s old office was near VD High School in the heart of Bhuj town. The new office has come up on the Mandvi Road and Paatil said the party had received a Rs 5.5 crore “contribution” from party workers and supporters.

Patil also inaugurated a separate office opened by Patel in his capacity as MLA of Bhuj.