When BJP legislator Bhupendra Patel took oath as the brand new Gujarat chief minister on Monday afternoon, he grew to become the fifth politician from the Patidar community to occupy the highest publish for the reason that state’s formation in1960, indicating the clout wielded by the influential social group.
Gujarat has had 5 Patel chief ministers out of whole 17 for the reason that state was shaped 61 years in the past.
Bhupendra Patel (59), the ruling BJP’s shock choose for the highest job, has taken cost when simply over a yr is left for meeting polls in Gujarat, the house state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
He is the first-time MLA from Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad and his elevation is being seen as an try by the BJP to woo the Patidars forward of the 2022 polls and retain its grip on Gujarat, which is underneath saffron rule for greater than 20 years.
Prior to Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat noticed Anandiben Patel, Keshubhai Patel, Babubhai Patel and Chimanbhai Patel as chief ministers belonging to the Patidar or Patel community.
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Most of the opposite Chief Ministers had been from the OBC community like Modi and Madhavsinh Solanki.
Bhupendra Patel, who took oath because the seventeenth CM of Gujarat on the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, is a first-time MLA and is taken into account near Anandiben Patel, who had resigned from the highest publish in August 2016 following the statewide Patidar quota agitation which had turned violent.
Late Chimanbhai Patel, a Congressman, was the primary Patidar chief minister of Gujarat.
He assumed the workplace for the primary time in July 1973.
He resigned in February 1974 as a fallout of ‘Navnirman Andolan’, an agitation began by school college students towards a hike in hostel meals invoice.
Chimanbhai Patel as soon as once more grew to become the CM in October 1990 and remained in workplace until his demise in February 1994.
Late Babubhai Jasbhai Patel, a Janata Morcha and Janata Party chief, additionally held the CM’s publish twice.
His first time period was between June 1975 and March 1976.
He assumed the workplace once more from April 1977 to February 1980.
Late Keshubhai Patel was the primary BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat.
He assumed the workplace in March 1995 after the BJP gained a decisive majority within the Assembly polls.
However, Keshubhai Patel resigned seven months later as his social gathering colleague Shankersinh Vaghela, who wished to be the CM after BJP’s victory, revolted towards him.
The BJP, led by Keshubhai Patel, returned to energy within the 1998 meeting elections and he as soon as once more grew to become the chief minister.
However, he resigned prematurely in October 2001, citing poor well being, paving the best way for Modi who held the CM’s publish until 2014.
After Modi left Gujarat in May 2014 to take over because the Prime Minister, the BJP handed over the reins of Gujarat to Anandiben Patel, who contested from the Ghatlodia Assembly seat of Ahmedabad.
However, she resigned in August 2016 citing BJP’s rule (not talked about in social gathering structure) which bars leaders above the age of 75 from holding any necessary positions.
Contrary to her claims, political consultants believed she resigned to quell the anger of the agitating Patidar community, which was upset on the BJP for not accepting the demand of giving OBC tag to the social group (to make its members eligible for quota in jobs and training).
In 2016, when Nitin Patel was seen as a powerful contender for the highest publish, the BJP chosen Vijay Rupani, a Jain, because the CM.
The Patidars represent 13 per cent to 14 per cent of Gujarat’s inhabitants.
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