Gujarat: Ajay Patel is chairman of Red Cross Society after defeating Speaker’s husband

“Election to the posts of chairman, vice-chairman and treasurer are held every three years. This election, Ajay Patel, who represents the Ahmedabad branch of Red Cross and Bhavesh Acharya, the incumbent chairman who represents the Kutch district branch of the society, were in the fray for the election to the post of chairman,” Prakash Parmar, secretary of the Gujarat branch of Red Cross told The Indian Express.

Ajay Patel is a close confidante of Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah, who is a former chairperson of the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank now headed by Patel.

A federation of 18 district cooperative banks, GSCB cumulatively serves more than 9,000 primary agricultural cooperative societies that have more than 28 lakh farmers as members. Shah has also served in the GSCB.

Parmar said that Patel has been a member of the Ahmedabad branch of Red Cross since 1990 and has also served as its joint secretary. “GSCB has been extending support in organising blood donation camps and supporting the activities of the Red Cross Society,” said the secretary.

Bhavesh Acharya has served as the president of Gandhidham municipality in Kutch in the past after getting elected to that civic body on a BJP ticket. A medical practitioner by profession, septuagenarian Bhavesh Acharya has interests in shipping, transport, hospitality and construction businesses. His wife Nimaben Acharya, the incumbent Speaker of Gujarat Assembly, is a sitting BJP MLA from Bhuj Assembly seat in Kutch district.

While the governor of Gujarat serves as ex-officio president of the Gujarat branch of Red Cross, Health Minister of the state serves as ex-officio vice president.