New Delhi: The BJP high command is considering replacing Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel owing to her reported “lack of performance” and “failure” to handle the Patel agitation in her state.
The BJP’s poor performance in last year’s civic polls had also gone against the CM. Ms Patel met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning, apparently to discuss the drought situation.
Ms Patel’s recent meeting with RSS man Sanjay Joshi also did not go down well with the party high command. Mr Joshi is considered to be in the anti-Modi camp and many senior party leaders avoid meeting him in public. Ms Patel could be appointed as a governor. As the party is looking for a change of guard in the state, there is a demand from the state unit to replace Ms Patel with BJP president Amit Shah. The state unit reportedly conveyed to the party high command that only Mr Shah, regarded as a master strategist, could retain the state for the BJP in the Assembly election next year.
The other name doing the rounds was Mr Nitinbhai Patel, in charge of a slew of ministries. The reported “failure” of the Chief Minister was also helping the Congress make inroads into the state.
