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Anandiben Patel says won't contest LS polls

Former CM writes to BJP chief, cites party age bar of 75

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In a move that could wrap up a three-decades-long political career which saw her become the first woman chief minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel has written to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah expressing her desire not to contest the upcoming assembly elections.

In a letter to Shah on October 4, Ben, as she is popularly known, cited the BJP's unwritten rule that those above 75 do not hold a position in the party or the government.

In August last year, Anandiben had announced her resignation as chief minister on Facebook, saying she she was turning 75 in November and had decided to step down from the post.

Her resignation came at the height of the reservation stir by the Patel community — an issue that continues to rankle the BJP government in the state. At the time, her handling of the protests had come under severe criticism.

In the letter to Shah, Patel requested that the party field an active BJP worker from the Ghatlodia assembly seat. She had won from the seat in 2012 with a margin of 1.10 lakh votes, the highest among all 182 seats.

"It is natural for someone who has worked long for the party to aspire to contest the corporation, panchayat, assembly or Lok Sabha elections," she wrote in the letter.

Anandiben also assured Shah that she would continue to work for the party and fulfil any role assigned to her in the upcoming elections.

In the letter, she thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance, and BJP workers for their support which she said helped her win elections from Gujarat four times.

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