Anandiben Patel Quits; Cong Says Long “Overdue”, AAP Claims Credit

Patel said it was up to the “next generation” to take care of the upcoming state Assembly polls in 2017.

While Gujarat’s embattled Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel offered to resign from her post on Monday, ahead of the 2017 state polls, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have poured in with their reactions to her decision.

Congress said her resignation was “overdue” and accused the BJP leadership of trying to protect her in spite of “growing unrest” among Dalits and the Patidar community over her handling of issues related to them.

Patel’s resignation has come amidst allegations of failure to check attacks on Dalits in the state, though she cited her age as the reason for her decision. She said she wanted to step down before she turned 75 in November.

This is not a voluntary decision taken by Patel. Diktat from the party high-command in Delhi is behind it. If she claims that she is resigning as she will turn 75 years in November, then she could have offered to quit just one month before November. Why has she offered it so early?

Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela