The new Gujarat cabinet has been constituted with one clear agenda in mind – to ensure that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returns to power in the state yet again.
It has the trademark of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, of being decisive and not succumbing to any pressure, from within or outside, whatsoever.
Among the nine ministers dropped from the old cabinet, Saurabh Patel is the most surprising exclusion. He was among those who sided with outgoing Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in her pursuit to have Nitin Patel succeed her as the Chief Minister.
The Modi-Shah duo had other plans though. The BJP leadership is making sure that the new Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is not burdened with the task of managing factions within the party. And the newly constituted cabinet is an exercise aimed precisely at that.
No Room for Mess Ups in Modi’s Home State
The exclusion of Patel is surprising as he has always been perceived to be in the good books of the PM. But the fact remains that he is electorally least important, and in the past had to change constituency to win his seat.
Patel is related to the Ambani family and this has also been a talking point for those who want to paint Modi as a friend of crony capitalists.
Modi doesn’t want any such issue being used in the next state polls against him and his party. For him, it is a must-win election battle.
Even a hint of weakness in his home state will make a dent in his otherwise unquestioned authority in the party. The AAP is preparing to contest Gujarat polls and would have surely targeted Saurabh Patel to tarnish Modi.
Saurabh Patel Is Down but Not Out
Political observers say that Patel may be down, but he is certainly not out. He is known for his managerial skills and resourcefulness. He has been a critical part of organising the Vibrant Gujarat model.
Modi wants a larger version of that model to be replicated at the national level. Patel has been actively involved in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) related negotiations. There is a speculation that he may get a role in executing the all-important indirect tax reform.
The Patel Factor
The Patel factor hasn’t been an issue while constituting the cabinet. The claims of the community have not been ignored though. The new Chief Minister has inducted eight members of the community in his cabinet.
The Modi-Shah duo is perhaps banking on the fact that the powerful Patidar community may not have any option but to vote for the saffron party. Patels are described as votaries of hardline Hindutva and they may not desert the BJP bandwagon, not just as yet given the paucity of choice before them.
However, how the rising tension among members of the Dalit community plays out will have a bearing not only in Gujarat but elsewhere too. The task before Modi-Shah duo will be to effectively manage that.
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