Ahmedabad
Supporters and several BJP leaders visited Nitin Patel’s house and expressed solidarity after senior leader stayed home instead of assuming charge on Saturday
Updated : Dec 31, 2017, 04:25 AM IST
The BJP government in Gujarat is passing through a critical situation after deputy CM Nitin Patel exhibited his disagreement on the portfolios allocated to him. Instead of assuming charge, Patel remained at home on Friday and Saturday. From Saturday morning, a flock of supporters and many BJP dissidents started pouring in at his house in Thaltej.
They all sympathised with Patel and demanded that he should get respectful portfolios in the government. Former minister and veteran leader Narottam Patel was first to reach. He was an MLA from Udhna seat in Surat in the last term and had expressed before the party that he did not want to contest polls. However, he wished to contest the Assembly polls later but was not given a ticket. Though he turned dissident, he supported Nitin Patel in the polls in Mehsana. The Deputy CM has been given R and B, health and family welfare, medical education and Narmada portfolios this time.
Talking to mediapersons, Narottam Patel, said, “Nitin Patel has been treated in a disrespectful manner. He has been given less important portfolios, and whatever he has demanded is not wrong. The party high command should consider his demands and give him the portfolios that he wishes.”
The surprise entry was of husband of former CM Anandiben Patel, Mafatbhai. He told mediapersons, “Amit Shah is responsible for all this. He has been given responsibility to handle political affairs in Gujarat, and now he should devise a solution. Patel community has great importance in Gujarat politics and that should not be ignored by him.”
Several supporters of Nitin Patel in Ghatlodia area of Ahmedabad, Mehsana and his hometown Kadi also staged several protests showing solidarity for their leader.