Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday allocated portfolios to his Council of Ministers and kept the key home department with himself as he took charge of his new job.
Rupani, who was sworn-in as the state Chief Minister on Sunday, presided over the first Cabinet meeting on Monday.
Portfolios to be handled by Rupani include General Administration, Home, Administrative Reforms and Training, Planning, Industries, Mines and Minerals, Ports, Climate Change, Science and Technology and Information & Broadcasting.
Rupani will also look after the portfolios which are not allocated to any other minister, an official release said.
- Nitin Patel has been given Finance, Urban Development and Urban Housing, Roads and Building, Capital Project, Narmada, Kalpsar and Petrochemicals.
- Senior cabinet minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama has been given charge of Revenue, Education(Primary, Secondary and Adult), Higher and Technical Education and Law and Parliamentary Affairs department.
- Portfolios of Tourism, Tribal Welfare and Forests has been allocated to Ganpat Vasava.
- BJP’s Dalit face in the cabinet, Atmaram Parmar, has been given Social Justice and Empowerment department, which includes welfare of Scheduled Castes as well as OBCs. He was also given the portfolio of Women and Child Development department.
- Newly inducted minister Chiman Saparaiya has been given Agriculture and Energy while Babu Bokhiria has been alloted Water Supply, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Cow protection, Civil Aviation and Salt Industry.
Vijay Rupani on Sunday was sworn in after his predecessor Anandiben Patel resigned from the position.
Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present at the swearing in ceremony, he did convey his congratulations to the new Chief Minister of Gujarat. Right after Rupani was sworn in, PM Modi tweeted:
Modi even applauded the efforts of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
Nitin Patel took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat. Patel was considered the sure pick for the top job until Friday, with even ex-CM Anandiben strongly recommending him as her successor.
A 23-minister cabinet was also sworn in, with nine members of Anandiben’s cabinet being dropped, and eleven new names replacing them.
Considered staunch loyalists of Anandiben, former Minister of State for Home, Rajnibhai Patel and Minister for Women and Child Development, Vasuben Trivedi have been dropped; according to sources in the BJP, this move has the stamp of Amit Shah who significantly rooted for Rupani over Anandiben’s support of Nitin Patel for CM.
Dalit face and Social Justice Minister Ramanlal Vora was reportedly dropped for non-performance, as well as Minister of State for Home, Rajni Patel for his inept handling of the 10-month long Patel agitation in the state, which saw his own house and office in North Gujarat get attacked. Finance, Energy and Industries Minister Saurabh Patel, who is the son-in-law of Ramnik Ambani, the elder brother of the late Dhirubhai Ambani, was also dropped to surprise of many, seeing how he was the man credited for Modi’s foray into solar energy in Gujarat.
This, when seen with the eleven new cabinet members that took oath with Rupani —with eight belonging to the Patidar community — reads as a shrewd political move ahead of the 2017 elections to appease the Patidars, a loyal vote bank recently angered by the BJP’s handling of the violent protests that broke out for reservations in jobs and education.
Rupani was announced as Anandiben Patel’s successor on Friday.
The BJP will also be announcing the state’s party chief as Rupani steps down to assume his new role as the chief minister.
Who is Vijay Rupani?
This 60-year-old state BJP chief was a top contender for the CM’s post. His conciliatory approach got him the state presidency. He was also given several key portfolios in the Anandiben cabinet thanks to his administrative skills. Given the volatile situation in the state amid agitations by Patidars and Dalits, these skills may have helped him get the top job.
The party leadership feels that the new leader should be able to reach out to the protesting communities and an amiable Rupani can do that. To maintain law and order, his administrative skills will be helpful.
Rupani, who is a law graduate, enjoys support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is a known confidant of BJP president Amit Shah. And he’s an RSS loyalist as well.
Rupani belongs to the Jain community and hails from Rajkot, the heartland of Saurashtra. With OBCs and Dalits up in arms, making someone from a non-OBC community the chief minister may help the party navigate a tricky situation.
Who is Nitin Patel?
Also 60 years old, he is a member of the Patidar community, currently serving as Gujarat’s Minister for Heath, Medical Education, Family Welfare, Road and Building, Capital Project, as well as a Mehsana representative in the Assembly. Nitinbhai is not only a seasoned politician, but also a successful businessman.
After Narendra Modi left Gujarat for Delhi in 2014, Nitin Patel had openly expressed his willingness to be the Chief Minister of the state. Although he was denied that chance, he went on to become second-in-command to Anandiben Patel.
Anandiben Steps Down
The party’s parliamentary board accepted Anandiben Patel’s resignation on Wednesday in Delhi during a meeting. Gujarat Tribal Affairs Minister Ganpat Vasava lauded Anandiben Patel’s decision to step down:
I think she (Anandiben Patel) is the first such chief minister in Gujarat, who had stepped down from the important post. She had set an example to all the people of Gujarat and India. The step taken by her is courageous.
Anandiben stepped down as the Chief Minister of Gujarat citing old age as the reason as she will soon be turning 75.
Amit Shah Picked Rupani
BJP president Amit Shah held intensive deliberations with party leaders up till Thursday night to finalise the candidate.
Among others, Amit Shah met the following leaders while deciding the next CM, who will play a major role in the upcoming Assmebly elections:
- State BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma
- National joint general secretary (organisation) V Satish
- Party treasurer Surendra Patel
- Education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama
- Former state BJP chief RC Faldu
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