Gujarat: Why does BJP pick Bhupendra Patel as CM? 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bhupendra Patel on Monday took oath as the 18th Chief Minister of Gujarat. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath to Patel. The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Patel’s swearing in as the chief minister marked the seventh consecutive term of BJP in Gujarat.

Patel and his cabinet will be seated on the center stage while the one on the right is for Modi and notable dignitaries, and the left stage will accommodate 200 sadhus.

The BJP won the recently-held elections with an unprecedented majority. Of the total 182 seats, the BJP won 156 and drove the principal opposition Congress to the margins with just 17 seats.

‘Enjoys trust of central leadership’

Initially, several names were doing the round but political analysts were increasingly hinting at Patel due to his closeness with top leadership. One of the BJP sources said that Patel enjoyed the ‘trust’ of central leadership. It is said that he has the “managerial skill” and is capable of keeping all the dissenting legislators on board. Further, he also has backing of the RSS, of which he is a member for decades. He is also an active member of Pandit Deendayal Library managed by the socio-cultural outfit. Also, he is an uncontroversial leader.

‘Vast experience, popularity’

Besides this, Patel has vast experience in administration. He was Chairman of the Standing Committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and as a Corporator for Thaltej ward from 2010 to 2015. He began his political career in 1995 when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Memnagar municipality, according to the Indian Express. He served the municipality for over a decade, becoming Chairman of the local body during 1999-2000 and 2004-2006. He was appointed as the chairman of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) 2015, became a MLA for the first time in 2017 from Ghatlodia constituency with a wide margin of 1,17,000 votes. Born on July 15, 1962, in Ahmedabad, Patel holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Ahmedabad.

Notably, he had taken charge as Gujarat CM in September last year, replacing Vijay Rupani ahead of the assembly elections. Patidars, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SCs/STs), and women would be given preference in the audience, said a member of state BJP office. It is to be noted that the BJP made deep inroads among the SC and ST voters in the state, which had traditionally been a Congress bastion.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM