First-term MLA Bhupendra Patel was on Monday sworn in as Gujarat chief minister, two days after Vijay Rupani’s shock exit from the submit, a yr forward of the Meeting polls.

Patel (59), unanimously elected BJP legislature celebration chief on Sunday, was sworn in because the state’s seventeenth chief minister by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a easy ceremony in Ahmedanad. Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers of some BJP-ruled states had been amongst these current on the Raj Bhavan ceremony.

As determined by the celebration, solely Patel took the oath. The council of ministers will take oath in the course of the subsequent few days after their names are finalised, BJP sources advised PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP nationwide president JP Nadda had been among the many first to congratulate Bhupendra on his newest task.

Congratulations to Bhupendra Bhai on taking oath as CM of Gujarat. I’ve identified him for years and have seen his exemplary work, be it within the BJP Organisation or in civic administration and group service. He will definitely enrich Gujarat’s development trajectory. @Bhupendrapbjp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 13, 2021

मैं @Bhupendrapbjp जी को गुजरात के मुख्यमंत्री पद की शपथ लेने पर हार्दिक बधाई देता हूँ।
मुझे पूर्ण विश्वास है कि आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के मार्गदर्शन और आपके नेतृत्व में गुजरात की सतत विकास यात्रा की गति और तेज होगी।

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) September 13, 2021

At Sunday’s legislature celebration assembly, the proposal to elect Patel the legislative celebration chief was moved by Vijay Rupani, whose resignation as chief minister on Saturday, 15 months forward of the Meeting polls, stunned many political observers.

Rupani, the fourth chief minister to demit workplace in BJP-ruled states in the course of the pandemic, was sworn in as chief minister his second stint as chief minister – in December 2017 and accomplished 5 years in workplace on August 7 this yr.

With state Meeting polls scheduled in December 2022, the BJP is banking on Patel, a Patidar, for ballot victory. Within the 2017 Meeting elections, BJP gained 99 of the 182 seats and Congress received 77.

Smooth-spoken first-time MLA trumped many veterans in waiting to get CM submit

Born in Ahmedabad, Patel is an MLA from the Ghatlodia seat, beforehand held by former chief minister and now Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel. He gained the seat by over 1.17 lakh votes in 2017, the best margin in that ballot. Ghatlodia is a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency represented by Shah.

He holds many firsts to his title when his newest task is added to the combo. The primary Ahmedabadi chief minister of Gujarat, Patel can be a first-time MLA, first-time minister and first Kadva Patel to take the chief minister’s chair.

Patel, who holds a diploma in civil engineering, has served as Ahmedabad municipal councillor and because the chairperson of the Standing Committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Company and Ahmedabad City Improvement Authority. He’s additionally a trustee at Patidar organisation Vishwa Umiya Basis.

Patel has by no means held a ministerial submit, similar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was by no means a minister when he grew to become Gujarat chief minister 20 years in the past. Modi was sworn in as CM on October 7, 2001, and have become an MLA on 24 February, 2002, by successful the Rajkot seat bypoll.

His Meeting constituency is a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat represented by Shah.

The BJP’s CM selection got here as a shock for a lot of because the low-profile, first-time legislator was not seen to be among the many prime contenders for the submit.

Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil stated Patel’s work on the grass-root stage, his maintain on the cooperative sector, affiliation with celebration employees and administrative talents had been among the many components that led to his elevation.

Why BJP selecting Kadva-Patidar chief as CM over Jain Vijay Rupani makes political sense

The Patidars are a dominant caste in Gujarat with a sizeable management over the electoral votes and dominate the political economic system with a stronghold over schooling, realty and cooperative sectors.

Patel’s elevation – he’s the primary from the Patidar sub-group to be chief minister – is vital to BJP’s plans to woo the Kadva Patidar group, which some political observers really feel, has drifted away from the celebration. He’s a trustee of Sardardham, the Patidar group organisation that hosted the programme the place Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief visitor on Saturday.

Moreover, the group with each subgroups mixed is a vital vote financial institution within the state of Gujarat, accounting for 12-14 p.c of the inhabitants they usually maintain sway in additional than 70 out of 182 meeting constituencies. They value BJP a large chunk of their vote share in 2017 state polls after a people-led motion demanding reservation turned political and massively anti-BJP. The celebration had secured almost 60 p.c votes within the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In 2017, the BJP received near 49.1 p.c of votes.

The BJP has been struggling to consolidate its as soon as rock-solid Patidar voter base, which started eroding after the 2015 Patidar reservation stir. It settled for a novel power-sharing components by making Nitin Patel the deputy chief minister whereas handing over reins to Vijay Rupani, a Jain. However because the ballot season neared, the Patidar group leaders made it clear that this token measure is not going to suffice if the celebration desires their assist.

In June this year, leaders of each Kadva and Leuva Patidar communities, who typically don’t mingle when it comes to marital and social bonds, determined to put aside their variations and unite to exert their weight within the political enviornment.

“We want our Patidar brothers in political parties to be given main responsibilities in Gujarat. Be it the BJP or Congress, Patidars should get top posts. Why shouldn’t the next state unit Congress chief be from our community?” Naresh Patel, chairman of Khodaldham Belief, who spearheaded the efforts to convey the 2 sub-castes of the group collectively, advised reporters in June. In the identical vein, he stated the group is of the view that the following chief minister ought to be a Patidar.

Then chief minister Rupani was from the minority Jain group which types simply two p.c of the full inhabitants in Gujarat. Incumbent state BJP president CR Paatil is from the Marathi group settled in south Gujarat. Add these info collectively and it turns into clear that Rupani’s exit had extra causes than meets the attention.

One ultimate pat on the again for Rupani from BJP prime brass

In a ultimate nod to Vijay Rupani, the fourth chief minister to demit workplace in BJP-ruled states in the course of the pandemic, Prime Minister Modi praised his insurance policies as pro-people. Nadda lauded the previous chief minister for taking ahead the legacy left behind by Modi, who exited the state to take over prime ministerial duties.

This comes amid numerous theories within the media speculating the trigger behind Rupani’s sudden exit.

A report in India Today stated that aside from the dealing with of the pandemic by the Vijay Rupani-led Gujarat authorities, the financial and social misery that adopted might need additionally contributed to his “downfall”.

One other supply stated that Rupani’s management high quality was additionally below the scanner because the BJP had did not cross the 100-mark with him on the helm within the 2017 meeting polls. Another excuse cited in experiences was the alleged lack of coordination between him and BJP Gujarat president Paatil.

Rupani was sworn in as chief minister — his second stint as CM – in December 2017. He accomplished 5 years in workplace on August 7 this yr.

With inputs from PTI

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