TINA is an important term in politics. Many leaders continue to occupy positions simply because ‘There Is No Alternative’. But in Gujarat, that’s clearly not the case. As Anandiben Patel steps down, there are at least three strong contenders, who are in the race to succeed her. In her Facebook post, the outgoing Chief Minister has written that she wants to create space for a “young” leader. BJP national president Amit Shah has said that the final decision will be made by the party’s Parliamentary Board meeting. Let’s look at the profile of the top three (politically) young contenders for the Chief Minister’s post.
1. Vijay Rupani
This 60-year-old state BJP chief is the top contender for the CM’s post. His conciliatory approach got him the state presidency and administrative skills got him several key portfolios in the Anandiben cabinet. Given the volatile situation in the state, amid agitations by Patidars and Dalits, these skills may help him get the top job as well. The party leadership feels that the new leader should be able to reach out to the protesting communities and an amiable Rupani can do that. To maintain law and order, his administrative skills will be helpful.
Rupani, who is a law graduate, enjoys support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is a known confidant of BJP president Amit Shah. And he’s an RSS loyalist too. He belongs to the Jain community and hails from Rajkot, the heartland of Saurashtra. While OBCs and Dalits are up in arms, making a Chief Minister from a non-OBC community can help in avoiding a tricky situation.
While Anandiben was about to announce her resignation, a media savvy Rupani tweeted this, in a way hinting at his ambition as a pan-Gujarat leader:
Today, August 2, happens to be Rupani’s birthday. Will Amit Shah gift him the CM’s post?
2. Nitin Patel
60-year-old Nitin bhai is not only a seasoned politician but also a successful businessman. These are the two things Gujarat needs right now. A leader who can navigate the state through this political crisis and put it firmly back on the business track.
After Narendra Modi left Gujarat for Delhi in 2014, Nitin Patel had openly expressed his willingness to be the Chief Minister of the state. Although he was denied that chance, he went on to become second-in-command to Anandiben Patel.
He belongs to the powerful and upset Patidar community, but he’s not been very popular among protesting youngsters of his own clan, which can work against him.
3. Saurabh Patel
Saurabh Patel is an urban face of the party. The 58-year-old is elected from Vadodara city and has done his MBA from the USA.
He holds important portfolios like Energy and Petrochemicals among others. He is said to be the brain behind Asia’s biggest solar power project. He is a relative of industrialists Mukesh and Anil Ambani.
After Anandiben put out her Facebook post announcing her resignation, most leaders in Gujarat preferred to stay away from social media. But Saurabh Patel tweeted about the launch of a new electricity substation in Jamnagar. While his competitors choose to tweet in English, he tweets in Gujarati and English.
Some believe that Rajya Sabha MP Purushottam Rupala is also a viable candidate for the Chief Minister’s post, while BJP President Amit Shah is considered a dark horse in this race.
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