Even before the newly elected Vijay Rupani Government kick-starts its fresh inning, trouble started brewing as Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Saturday stuck to his decision not to accept charge of his office almost 48 hours post allocation of new portfolios to him.

Since Saturday early morning high voltage political drama created in and around Patel’s residence situated in posh locality of near Drive-in road as hundreds of his supporters, BJP and RSS leaders gathered  — some to express their solidarity and some to persuade him.

Seemingly unhappy over being cut-to-size in portfolio allocation, Patel conveyed his displeasure to party high command raising the issue of self-respect. “I have expressed my feelings before the party leaders. It is not the question about power or portfolios, but about self-respect,” Patel told reporters. He, however, denied resigning from Ministry as well as from the party. 

Many in the saffron party are fearing a new Patel agitation being played out in Gujarat post-Assembly elections results as Deputy CM’s supporters from his constituency Mehsana, especially from Patidar community demanded that he, being the senior most Ministers in the newly form Gujarat Government, should be elevated as Gujarat Chief Minister replacing Vijay Rupani.

Patel held important portfolios including Finance, Urban Development, Road & Building, Capital Projects, Narmada, Kalpsar and  Petrochemicals in the last Rupani Government.  However, in the new Government under CM Rupani, he felt stripped off his old key portfolios of Finance, Urban Development and Petroleum and given charge of Road & Building, Health, Medical Care among others.

In the afternoon, Patel held a long meeting with pro-quota Patidar leader lalji Patel, who is heading Sardar Patel Group (SPG) at his residence. After the close door meeting, lalji claimed to reporters that not only Patidar community but others too wanted Nitinbhai as CM. If he wouldn’t be given justice, Mehsana town would remain close on Monday 1st January 2018. Patidars in the North Gujarat towns too join the bandwagon and supported Mehsana Bandh.

Former Gujarat Minister and veteran politician Narotam Patel, who was not given ticket in this Assembly election, reached Nitin Patel’s residence and met him. Terming Nitin as policy maker the former Minister said that Nitinbhai was a big leader in Gujarat, who ensured BJP’s victory in 2017 Assembly polls and he should be given his due.

Interestingly former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel said that she was ignorant about the whole issue as she learnt about Nitin Patel’s displeasure over the portfolio allocation only from media reporters. However, she said that if he felt injustice was done to him, he should tell the party president or the Prime Minister and resolve the issue. Ideally he should accept the decision of party, she added.

“I and other Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leaders are prepared to talk to Congress leaders to support Nitinbhai and 10 MlAs with him who are willing to resign. This is high time he should resign from BJP for the sake of Patidar community,” said 24-year-old PAAS convener Hardik Patel, adding that other Patidar leaders must support Nitin Patel and if they feel BJP is not respecting Patels, they should quit the party and join Congress.

Reacting on the development Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said that though it was an internal matter of BJP but over the years, it had been BJP’s tradition to insult its senior leaders may it be AK Patel, Keshubhai Patel, Anandiben Patel and now Nitin Patel. Doshi went on to say that in order to get power BJP used Patel community’s wealth and votes and when the party came into power it only did injustice to Patidars and kept on insulting its leaders.

It is worth mentioning that on December 26 Rupani, Patel and other 18 Ministers took oath but first cabinet meeting to allot portfolio could be held only on 28th that to four hour later than its schedule of 5 pm. Apparently there was dissatisfaction among few Ministers including Patel over the portfolios given to them. After the Cabinet meeting Rupani however said after the meeting that Patel continued to be the number two in his Council of Ministers. As new Ministers were included, some of his portfolios were given to others, he added.