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Journalism of Courage
Among the former members of the Vijay Rupani Cabinet who have written in saying they don’t want to contest the coming elections, the case of Nitin Patel is perhaps the most unfortunate. Since Narendra Modi moved on from Gujarat to become the Prime Minister, Patel has been hoping to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair in the state. First under Anandiben Patel, and then Rupani, her replacement, he had to be content with Deputy CM. Dropped when the Rupani Cabinet was completely overhauled for new faces last year, the 66-year-old now is even further from the CM’s post.
A powerful leader of the Patidar community – the Kadva-Patidar sub-caste group – Patel belongs to to Kadi in north Gujarat’s Mehsana district, a region to which all the powerful leaders of the current BJP dispensation, from Modi to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Anandiben (the Uttar Pradesh Governor now), belong.
A commerce student in college, Patel has held important ministerial portfolios in Gujarat such as Finance, Roads and Buildings, Narmada and Urban Development. He was the Health minister at the height of the Covid pandemic. He has been with the BJP since 1977, when he started as a councillor, and has been elected as MLA six times. He also established himself as a firm BJP loyalist when he did not join the 1995 rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. Among Patel’s few poll losses has been the 2004 contest for the Mehsana Lok Sabha seat.
Patel has also been a strong BJP voice against the Congress, often running into controversy due to his remarks. In August 2021, at a VHP function, he said that talk of the Constitution, secularism and law would last only as long as Hindus were in a majority, and if the community became a minority, “nothing will remain”. Recently, after four members of a family from Gujarat froze to death attempting to cross over illegally into the United States, Patel said this happened because there were no opportunities available in the state.
In August 2016, Patel’s name had first surfaced as a possible CM reportedly at Anandiben’s suggestion. Forced out at the height of the Patidar agitation, with the 2017 polls approaching, Anandiben recommended the second biggest Patidar leader after her in the BJP as replacement. Shah, however, is believed to have picked Rupani and prevailed. As CM and Deputy CM, Rupani and Patel did not have the best of relations.
After the BJP won the 2017 elections, Patel was again left out as the party veered around Rupani as CM. Patel was not even given portfolios he held earlier such as Finance and Urban Development, and he staged a sort of rebellion by staying away from taking charge of office for around 48 hours. Finally, after he got Finance, Patel took office.
While the BJP claims Rupani, Patel and the others decided of their own accord not to contest, it remains to be seen how Patel treats this virtual retirement. A senior party leader said: “This non-candidature is certainly not a full stop in Patel’s career. The party will certainly use his services, either by fielding him in the Lok Sabha or by sending him to the Rajya Sabha.”
Sources said the party could also consider appointing Patel as Governor of some important state. Just like mentor Anandiben.
