Anandiben Patel's fate sealed two months ago

Anandiben Patel's fate as the chief minister was sealed two months ago, when she was asked by the BJP high command (prime minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah) to submit her resignation, highly placed sources in the BJP, told dna.

BJP sources said that the decision regarding Anandiben's resignation was taken in May itself. However, she was allowed to continue for "some time" after she argued that "being forced to resign would be a blot on her over three-decades long political career", said a source.

"Ben had requested some time so that she could make an honourable and graceful exit, which the party had allowed her to," said the source.

While the public line taken by Anandiben and also the party is that she was resigning because of the unwritten rule of 75 years, insiders confirm that the central leadership was not happy with her performance.

"The government fumbled in its tackling of both the Patel reservation agitation and the ongoing Dalit protests. It was seen as a failure of the chief minister in reading the ground situation correctly, which could cost the BJP dearly," said a source in the party.

Another source said that the BJP's poor performance in local civic body elections in December 2015, which saw Congress emerging the big winner in rural areas, went against her.

"The prime minister also did not take kindly to the corruption charges against her, and her family members," said the source.