All You Need To Know About New Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel

On Sunday (12 September), first-time legislator and BJP leader Bhupendra Patel was elected the new chief minister (CM) of Gujarat, after the unanticipated resignation of Vijay Rupani a day before. Rupani was also a first-time legislator when he succeeded Anandiben Patel as the CM.

Patel is expected to be sworn in today in the presence of top leaders, including the Prime Minister (PM) Modi, who will attend the event virtually.

Central observers Narendra Singh Tomar and Pralhad Joshi conducted the BJP Legislature Party meeting at the party headquarters in Gandhinagar in the presence of MLAs and other senior leaders. Reportedly, the name of Bhupendra Patel was proposed by Rupani himself; unanimously endorsed in the meeting; and cleared by PM Modi.

The change of guard comes more than a year before the state assembly election likely to be held in November 2022.

While Rupani is said to be close to Union Home Minister (HM) Amit Shah, 59-year-old Patel is said to be a protege of former CM Anandiben Patel who is currently serving as Uttar Pradesh Governor.

Patel beat several strong contenders for the CM post, including outgoing Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, the Administrator of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Lakshdweep, Praful Patel, and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. A senior party leader was quoted as saying by The Hindu that Patel's selection was a complete surprise even to the MLAs. "It came from Delhi and possibly Anandiben had a critical role in his selection,” he said.

After his election, Patel expressed his gratitude to PM Modi, HM Shah and the BJP leadership.

Who is Bhupendra Patel?

In the 2017 Assembly election, Patel succeeded Anandiben Patel as legislator from the Ghatlodia Assembly segment in Ahmedabad. He is also active in the Patidar community’s social service organisations in Ahmedabad and is the first leader from Ahmedabad city to be elected CM.

He has earlier served as the chairman of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. He has reportedly studied engineering and is a builder.

Gujarat state BJP chief CR Paatil said, “Bhupendrabhai is a dynamic leader and the party under his leadership will sweep the next Assembly polls.”

“When Anandiben was Chief Minister, he was the chairman of the very powerful urban development authority, and had the direct trust of and access to the CM, but he never bragged about it,” a prominent realty player in Ahmedabad was quoted as saying.

Patel is also known to be soft-spoken and mild-mannered, keeping a distance from the limelight or controversy. Despite being a builder, his name was not dragged in any land deal or any realty project in the city, even when he was holding important positions in the relevant authorities, a BJP leader from Ahmedabad said.

While the outgoing CM Rupani belongs to the Jain community, Patel is expected to rally the dominant Patidar caste in the state. Patil said that with this choice, the BJP has given a clear message to the Patidars.

Another senior party leader was quoted as saying that the Patidars have been placated by BJP now. The community forms the backbone of the BJP in Gujarat. The first chief minister of Gujarat from BJP, in 1995, when it came to power for the first time, was a Patidar leader from Saurashtra region- Keshubhai Patel.

Apart from the caste factor, BJP is expecting that Patel, as a builder with long experience in civic and urban management, can ensure cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara remain loyal to BJP.

“Instead of selecting a rural face like RC Faldu or even Praful Patel, the party leadership has gone with Bhupendrabhai, who is an urban face, the first leader from Ahmedabad city who has been made the CM,” a party leader said, adding, “it suggests that the main focus of the party will be on urban cities in the elections.”

The BJP is also expected to make drastic changes in the new Cabinet with many fresh faces.