Nitin Patel, Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister has certainly won the “Battle of Prestige” with BJP high command. He has been able to concede to his demand for the important portfolios by allocating the Finance department. It was under Saurabh Patel earlier.
Mr. Patel took charge of his office on Sunday morning after BJP president Amit Shah called him to convey that his demand for suitable portfolios has been accepted and a proper announcement regarding this will be made soon from Gujarat. Nitin Patel was unhappy over not getting important portfolios of his choice in the newly formed cabinet. He took charge on Sunday morning after he was allocated the finance portfolio, following party president Amit Shah’s intervention.
Mr. Patel told reports at his residence that the party president Amit Shah called him up in the morning and assured that he will be given a portfolio which befits his stature as the number two in the cabinet and as the deputy chief minister.
Mr. Patel left for his assembly constituency, Mehsana, soon after taking charge to meet his supporters. Shortly after his arrival at Mehsana in the afternoon, Rupani announced in Gandhinagar that the finance portfolio had been allocated to Patel and that the issue was over for now.
“Amitbhai called me this morning at 7.30 and communicated that my prestige will be maintained and assured to allow a suitable portfolio which befits my stature”, Mr. Patel told reporters in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, he maintained that he was not fighting for any post but for his “prestige and self-respect.”
On Sunday afternoon after Mr. Patel took the charge of his office, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced that as per the decision was taken by the party leadership, a letter was sent to the State Governor O.P. Kohli and the finance department has been handed over to Nitin Patel.
“As a senior and experienced minister having served as No. 2 position with previous chief ministers, it was very much expected that suitable portfolios will be allotted. For some reason, this time that could not happen and 3 of my earlier held portfolios — finance, petroleum and urban development — were taken away from me. I had expressed my feelings to the Chief Minister Rupani and also to the party high command, including the party president Amit Shah,” Mr. Patel said. He also stressed that he never threatened to resign from the party as was reported in some sections of media.
Not only his supporters, some of the RSS leaders and MLAs, Patidar quota supporter and Sardar Patel Group leader Lalji Patel also visited him at his residence. They expressed their support to him in his fight for “prestige and self-respect”
“About 4,000-5,000 people, from all age groups and all sections of the society from villages and cities, visited me at my residence. I thank all of them for extending their support to me. I will continue to work for the party and the state,” Mr. Patel said while assuming newly allocated office in the state capital.
