Page 43 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

gujarat

he BJP in Gujarat is wit- For BJP in Gujarat, his supporters who seemed more an- junior BJP MLA, Jhankhana Patel from ers appointed by the previous Rupani
nessing something which gry or disappointed. Demanding that Choriyasi seat in Surat, too was report- government to various boards, cor-
was unheard of during the “good” departments be allocated to edly demanding a place in the Rupani porations, and government agencies
13-year rule of its former their leader, Solanki’s supporters, led government. Though Jhankhana, a want their terms renewed. Many sen-
T chief minister Narendra challenge is not from by his brother and former BJP MLA Koli Patel, categorically denied that ior BJP leaders who got nothing over
Modi. Despite the narrow victory Hira Solanki, had gathered at the min- she had demanded a ministerial berth, the past several years are pushing for
margins and reduced seats from 115 ister’s residence in Gandhinagar last her supporters and senior BJP leaders roles in such boards and corporations.
in 2012 to 99 in 2017, the top brass of the Opposition week. But after Rupani’s assurance, from Surat feel that the Diamond City Sources close to Rupani say that
the state BJP was convinced that the Solanki’s supporters called off their had not got enough representation in the CM is in consultation with top BJP
party has sailed through the political protest. “Rupani has assured that I will the state cabinet despite the fact that leaders including PM Modi over the
storm and now they can start building be given a better department when BJP has been winning all the 12 seats of growing unrest within the party. It will
up from where they had left out. After losing a substantial number of seats in its bastion, the next cabinet expansion takes place Surat city since the last three elections. not be a surprise if Rupani expands his
However, the saffron party leaders, the saffron party now faces the ire of its own members and after one-and-a-half months,” Solanki Senior BJP leaders in Surat said that cabinet in the next couple of months.
including Prime Minister Modi and had told reporters in Gandhinagar af- they expected at least three ministers, The Congress too was facing the
BJP president Amit Shah, seemed to elected representatives who want larger shares in the ter meeting the chief minister. including one woman, from Surat as community and caste hurdle while
have discounted the unrest that was state’s pie, jini p sahajan writes But before Rupani could convince two women candidates of the ruling
brewing within the party cadre dur- Solanki, supporters of another five- party had won from the Diamond City.
ing the elections. This has come to the term MLA from Shehra seat in Panch- “It is not fair that the state BJP ignores Since his swearing-in
foreground with several senior lead- party. I have voiced my grievance be- asking the deputy CM to join the Con- mahals, Jetha Bharwad, demanded a Surat’s right to proper representation,” ceremony last month,
ers from different communities not fore the high command and have faith gress with 10 other MLAs to restore cabinet berth for Bharwad. However, a senior BJP leader from Surat said.
directly voicing their demands, but they will take the right decision,” Nitin Patidar honour. Bharwad, who represents a predomi- On the other hand, the turncoats Rupani has been in
using their supporters to make senior had said. However, to placate a sulking Nitin nantly tribal population, has made from Congress who had joined BJP be- fire fighting mode
leaders realise that all are not happy Nitin’s rebellion became a rallying Patel it required intervention of top it clear that everything happened fore the assembly polls as well as sev-
with the party’s functioning under point for Patidars as BJP leaders from BJP leaders like Amit Shah and even without his knowledge. “There is no eral other MLAs and ministers from as party members
chief minister Vijay Rupani. They all the community as well as Patidar An- some assurance from the PMO in New threat for the party from my side af- different communities are demanding have not minced
are demanding shares for the castes amat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Delhi. In case of Purshottam Solanki, ter my supporters’ agitation,” he said. larger shares in the new government.
and communities that have stood by Hardik Patel came out in his sup- a prominent Koli leader (mostly fish- Bharwad also claimed that he was a Though other ministers have not ex- any words to show
the party during troubled times. port. Some Patidar leaders from the ing community), who was unhappy committed soldier of the BJP and was pressed dissatisfaction publicly as Ni-
Ever since the swearing-in cer- Congress also invited Nitin to join the over the allocation of portfolios in the happy where he was. tin Patel and Solanki did, the murmur disappointment
emony last month, Rupani has been party. Even Hardik issued a statement new BJP government in Gujarat, it was The story doesn’t end here. A very of ire is beginning to build up. Several with allocation of
in a fire fighting mode. First, it was his senior MLAs who were ministers or
deputy and Patidar leader Nitin Patel held key posts now want those pow- portfolios
who expressed his displeasure over ers back. Moreover, senior MLAs who
the allocation of portfolios. As soon have served between three and five
as Nitin Patel’s issue was resolved, terms as MLAs but were never made closing in on Congress legislative party
five-term MLA from Bhavnagar Rural ministers are also pitching for posi- leader (CLP) and Leader of Opposition
seat Purshottam Solanki came out in tions of significance. “Those who have in the state assembly. The Congress
the open expressing displeasure over made no contribution to the party, and high command chose Amreli MLA
portfolio allocation. He even skipped whose career in the party is shorter Paresh Dhanani, who belongs to the
the first cabinet meeting. than my career as an MLA, have been Patidar community, as their CLP. He is
Nitin Patel did not mince any made cabinet ministers,” lamented a also considered to be close to Congress
words to show his disappointment senior BJP leader. president Rahul Gandhi. Dhanani has
with the allocation of portfolios. He Last week, a group of former Con- also been credited for Congress win-
has been heading the urban devel- gress leaders such as C K Raulji, Ram- ning all the five seats in Amreli district.
opment and finance ministry since sinh Parmar, Vipul Chaudhary, and Other Congress leaders who were
2012. In the Anandiben Patel govern- others who have joined the BJP met in the race for CLP included Koli com-
ment too he was head of the same Rupani and Nitin Patel and demanded munity strongman Kunwarji Bav-
ministries. But in the second term of a place in the new government. Raulji aliya and tribal leader Mohansinh
Rupani he was stripped of these two said, “I have asked for fair represen- Rathwa. However, the party chose
important ministries. “My fight is for tation, but I will accept whatever the Dhanani, who has been quite vocal in
prestige and not the post. My respect party decides.” Former Congress lead- the Assembly and also represents the
and honour should be restored in the ers who contested on BJP tickets and Patidars who have been agitating for
lost in the 2017 assembly elections are quota under the OBC category.
• Power play Nitin Patel is upset about the pressing for positions such as parlia-
allocation of portfolios, and says it openly mentary secretaries. Several BJP lead- letters@tehelka.com

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