Congress mocks new Gujarat Cabinet, claims 'Rupani's Ministers axed to hide PM's failures'

After 24 Ministers were inducted into the Gujarat Council of Ministers led by CM Bhupendra Patel, the Congress party took a dig at this big political churn in the state. On Thursday, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the purported centralization of power in the hands of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Shah. According to him, none of the 22 Ministers in the erstwhile Vijay Rupani-led government were included in the new Cabinet in order to hide the "failures" of PM Modi and the Centre. 

Surjewala remarked, "Modi Ji, you did you make them Ministers if all of them were incapable? Why were they removed from the Cabinet if they are capable? How much will you fool the people? The country is demanding answers."

A day earlier, a total of 10 Cabinet Ministers, 5 Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 9 Ministers of State were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat. This includes Rajendra Trivedi who stepped down as the Assembly Speaker. While the CM is in charge of multiple portfolios including Home, Information and Broadcasting and Industries, Kanubhai Desai has been allocated Finance. On the other hand, Trivedi has been named as the new Law, Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Minister. 

Change of guard in Gujarat

In an unforeseen development on September 11, Vijay Rupani tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister of Gujarat without giving any specific reason. While BL Santhosh and Gujarat in-charge Bhupender Yadav were already present in the state, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Narendra Tomar were rushed as observers. Though speculation was rife that Nitin Patel, Cabinet Minister RC Faldu and state BJP vice president Gordhan Zadafia were the top contenders for the post, Bhupendra Patel was elected as the new CM in a meeting of the BJP Legislative Party on September 12. 

Belonging to the dominant Patidar caste, Patel is a first-time MLA who trounced his Congress opponent in Ghatlodia by a margin of 1,17,750 votes. Bhupendra Patel is perceived to be a close aide of Uttar Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel who won from this seat earlier. An engineer, he has served as the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation as well as the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority. Having faced a backlash over the Patidar agitation, Patel's appointment is seen as BJP's attempt to bolster their chances for re-election in the 2022 Assembly election.