It seems like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat is trying hard to rebuild its image, especially in Patidar-dominated areas. After the Cabinet was sworn in on 26 December 2017, it was decided that the Republic Day celebrations would be held in Navsari district. However, the venue was changedto Mehsana at the last minute.
The local administration has been directed to prepare for the two-day event, which will be attended by Governor OP Kohli and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
It was Narendra Modi who, during his tenure as the chief minister of the state, moved the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations to different corners of Gujarat. This was done to ensure greater political penetration. However, the change of venue from Navsari to Mehsana has become a major talking point within the administrative and political circles.
Sources in the know claim Rupani wants to stamp his authority on Mehsana, which is Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel’s bastion. During campaigning for last year’s Assembly elections in Gujarat, many political pundits claimed that Mehsana will vote against the BJP, thereby being the reason for the downfall of the saffron party.
Mehsana was and continues to remain the focal point of the Patidar movement that engulfed the state three years ago.
One-Upmanship
However, on counting day, all speculations were laid to rest, as the BJP won five out of seven seats in Mehsana, including Mehsana Taulka in which Nitin Patel contested. Now that the Republic Day celebrations have been moved to Mehsana, Patel will have to unfurl the Indian flag at another venue in another district, as the state celebrations are always attended by the Chief Minister and the Governor.
The game of one-upmanship continues between Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Just days after they were sworn in to the Cabinet, Nitin Patel openly expressed his resentment over the allocation of portfolios. Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel took advantage of the situation and even offered him the post of chief minister under the Congress government.
However, BJP national president Amit Shah saved the day and assured Nitin Patel that his demands would be adhered to.
The cat and mouse game between Rupani and Patel continues, and with the rift widening between the two factions, the Congress is hoping to cash in on the divide in the 2019 general elections.
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