Nitin Patel has his way, regains finance portfolio

Finally, it was Nitin Patel who had his way. Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister, who had been sulking after the allocation of portfolios last week, was on Sunday handed the finance ministry after an intervention by the BJP’s central leadership.

The announcement in this regard was made by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday afternoon. Patel had been upset that the portfolios given to him were not in keeping with his ‘stature and experience’.

“There was some dissatisfaction as some issues were not addressed in the portfolio allocation. Now, Nitinbhai has been allotted the Finance Ministry and this puts an end to all the issues. An official communication has been sent to the Governor regarding this,” Rupani told media persons in Gandhinagar.

After the formation of the new government last week, Patel was stripped off the portfolios of Finance, Urban Development and Petroleum — ministries he had held in previous governments — and left with Roads & Buildings, Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education.

The finance portfolio was initially allotted to Saurabh Patel, who is now left with Energy, and Chief Minister Rupani had taken over Urban Development and Petroleum.

Earlier in the day, Patel briefed the media at his Ahmedabad residence, announcing the party high-command’s decision to give him a portfolio “suitable to his stature”.

“As a senior and experienced minister, and having served in the number-2 position with previous chief ministers, it was expected that suitable portfolios would be allotted to me. But this time, for some reasons, three of my earlier held portfolios — finance, urban development and petroleum — were taken away from me. I had expressed my feelings to the chief minister and also to the party high command, including the party president Amit Shah,” Patel said.

“Amitbhai called me this morning at 7.30 am and communicated that my prestige will be maintained and assured me that a suitable portfolio would be allotted. My fight was never for the portfolio, but for my prestige,” said Patel.

After the assurance from the BJP chief, Patel visited his office and formally took charge.

After he was allocated some ‘low-profile’ portfolios last week, an upset Patel distanced himself from the media, and refrained from taking charge, too.

On Saturday, in a show of strength, a horde of people gathered outside Patel’s residence in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Among those who called on the Deputy CM included, besides supporters, MLAs, RSS leaders, and Patidar quota campaigner and Sardar Patel Group (SPG) leader Lalji Patel.

Lalji Patel even called for a Mehsana bandh on January 1, protesting the ‘injustice’ meted out to the BJP leader. The SPG has been supporting the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) for seeking reservation for community.

The 61-year-old Patel, who is the MLA from Mehsana, is among the senior-most of the BJP’s leaders in the government. Patel enjoys significant support from the elected MLAs. On Saturday, Patel held talks with senior BJP leaders Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Kaushik Patel and Pradipsinh Jadeja at party legislator Babu Jamna Patel’s residence in Ahmedabad. BJP leader V Shatish was also despatched to Ahmedabad to listen to Patel’s demands and placate him.

“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,” Patel said, adding that there was not chance of quitting the party or joining the Congress.

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