Former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has told Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah that she will not contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
This is seen as a major setback for the saffron party, which has made a last-ditch attempt to woo back the estranged Patidar or Patel community, its traditional vote base, ahead of the polls.
Patidars have been seething with anger against the BJP ever since the police used force to crack down on their agitation two years ago to demand reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Anandiben Patel was the state’s last Patidar chief minister, and possibly the BJP’s last hope to win back the support of members of the community before the polls.
In a letter to Shah that was made public on Monday, Anandiben Patel said that she would stay away from the elections because of what she called the party’s “75-year criterion”. This is a reference to an unwritten rule in the BJP that bars those above the age of 75 from contesting elections. A year ago, this was the reason cited when she resigned as chief minister, to be replaced by Amit Shah’s close aide Vijay Rupani.
Patidar leader upset
Anandiben Patel’s decision seems to have led to a crisis in the party. Hours after her letter was made public, Narayanbhai Patel, a senior Patidar leader and the BJP’s MLA from Unjha in Mehsana district, issued a statement, saying that her decision would push Patidars even further away from the BJP.
“This decision of Anandiben Patel is not good for the party,” Narayanbhai Patel said. “She should change her decision. If she contests, Patidars would support the party, but if she does not, the community will feel dejected and get further alienated.”
He told Scroll.in that his statement reflected the sentiments of the Patidar community. “It is for the party to decide whether it will try to persuade Anandiben to contest the election or take the risk of facing Patidars’ anger,” he said.
A senior leader of the Gujarat BJP, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Anandiben Patel’s letter, which was written on October 4, was released after she held at least two rounds of talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Amit Shah was not present in her last meeting with Modi which was held on October 7,” he added.
Just the day before that meeting, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had tweeted that Anandiben Patel should be made the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the state.
A pressure tactic?
Several BJP leaders admit privately that Anandiben Patel is aware of her critical position vis-à-vis Patidar voters and the party. They say her decision to stay away from the elections could be a pressure tactic to force the leadership to project her as the chief ministerial candidate. However, Shah is likely to block any such suggestion.
“Anandiben knows that if she contests without getting projected as the chief ministerial candidate and the party wins, the leadership will once again cite the 75-year criterion and prevent her from becoming chief minister,” said a BJP leader close to her. “On the other hand, if she contests and the party loses, it is she who will be made to take the blame. In both the cases, she will be the loser.”
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