As the BJP parliamentary board decides over her resignation, here are a few facts about the teacher-turned-politician. Saying that it was indeed hard for her to fill the shoes of outgoing CM Narendra Modi in 2014, Anandiben said she tried her best to take Gujarat ahead on the growth path marked by Modi. According to multiple reports, the Rajkot MLA’s close ties to BJP’s central leadership and his Jain upbringing makes him a “natural choice” to replace Patel.
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Faced with infighting in the party and huge disenchantment on the ground, beleaguered Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on Monday offered to resign and asked the BJP to select a new face before she turns 75 on November 21.
Nitin Patel enjoys the confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whom he had served as a minister in Gujarat, and hails from the influential Patidar community, who has traditionally supported the BJP but have been unhappy with it over the government’s handling of their quota stir.
“She has been a minister in Gujarat government for 18 years”. The assembly polls are scheduled for December next year.
Gujarat has seen a tense two weeks, with large scale Dalit protests after an incident in Una where a Dalit family was publicly beaten with iron rods by alleged ‘gau rakshaks’. The Gujarat Chief Minister yesterday made a decision to step down, saying it was time for new the leadership to take over as she is soon going to turn 75.
Anandiben Patel will meet Governor and submit her resignation, said Venkaiah Naidu. “It is regarding the overall performance and the overall governance of the state in the recent past after Narendra Modi came to Delhi and the state was given to Patel”, a party functionary told Mail Today. “I will also complete 75 years this November”. “There is no question of Amit Shah, he is the national president”, he said.
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The BJP parliamentary board on Wednesday accepted Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel’s resignation in the national capital, during a meet to discuss the issue of change of guard. The most prominent names heard in this phase are the present health minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel, state BJP chief Vijay Rupani, Union minister Purshottam Rupala. In the last assembly election in 2012, the Congress could win only 60 of Gujarat’s 182 seats.
