Well ahead of general elections 2014, Gujarat Chief Minister appointed chairmen and vice-chairmen in different boards and corporations. Ever since Modi took over the charge from his mentor Keshubhai Patel, he refrained from mass appointments in Government-owned boards and corporations. The appointments are being seen as Diwali gift to 11 odd BJP leaders. More such appointments and expansion in Cabinet is also awaited after Diwali.
Sources in BJP said that the announcement was expected as State BJP president RC Faldu had met the CM recently and got the list cleared from him. The most important appointment was of Narhari Amin who left Congress during last Assembly elections in December 2012. Amin who also was the deputy Chief Minister in Chimanbhai Patel’s Government has been appointed vice-chairman of State Planning Commission.
Modi’s close aide and former member of Rajya Sabha Vijay Rupani, has been appointed chairman of Gujarat Municipal Finance Board. Former MlA Mulu Bera has been named chairman of Gujarat Rural Housing Board (GHB). Jayanti Barot, who was chairman of Gujarat Housing Board, has been moved to Gujarat Backward Classes Development Corporation. Vivek Patel, an emerging young BJP leader from Surat, has been appointed chairman of Gujarat Housing Board in place of Barot. His immediate priority will be to set the ball rolling for construction of affordable homes across the State to contribute to the Modi Government’s ambitious target of building 50 lakh affordable homes in five years.
Former MlA Meghji Kanzaria has been appointed chairman of Sardar Patel Sahbhagi Jalsanchay Yojana (Saurashtra & Kutch), whereas Ganesh Chaudhary from Gandhinagar will head Sardar Patel Sahbhagi Jalsanchay Yojana (Gujarat region). Arjan Rabari from Kutch has been appointed chairman of Gujarat Gopalak Development Corporation. Babu Jebalia, who is currently president of the party’s farmer cell, has been named chairman of Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation. Former Minister Bhupendra lakhawala, who was not given a ticket by BJP in the Assembly elections, has been appointed chairman of Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation.