A day after reports surfaced that the Bharatiya Janata Party was considering replacing Chief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel, she denied the claim. “Nothing like that is on,” she said, while speaking to reporters in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, PTI reported.
She further blamed the media for suggesting that her and Gujarat’s Health Minister Nitin Patel’s separate visits to Delhi indicated an imminent change in the state’s leadership. “You [media] had linked two different visits to Delhi to come to this conclusion. I had gone to Delhi for the meeting related to water crisis, and Nitinbhai [the health minister] had gone to Delhi on the NEET issue,” said Anandiben, who took over as the chief minister of Gujarat after Narendra Modi became the prime minister.
Media reports on Monday suggested that the move to replace Anandiben, if it materialises, will be part of a larger plan by Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for the Assembly elections in Gujarat next year. The reportedly stemmed from Anandiben’s poor handling of the protests by members of the Patel community for reservation. The reports also suggested the party was considering Nitin Patel for the post.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!