BJP Mollifies Sulking Deputy CM, Puts An End To Gujarat Drama

For the BJP, Gujarat drama has ended for now. Sulking deputy chief minister and Patidar strongman Nitin Patel has joined the Vijay Rupani Cabinet. She said party national president Amit Shah has pledged to give him portfolis commensuarte with his standing in the party.

On Sunday, Nitin Patel assumed charge as a cabinet minister in Gandhinagar. Patel was upset that the key portfolios of Finance, Petrochemicals and Urban Development were taken away from him. After being denied important portfolios which he held until the Assembly elections, Nitin Patel did not take charge of his office on Wednesday.

With the issue being resolved, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will submit the list of portfolios to the Governor soon. The BJP allotted the Finance department to former Finance Minister Saurabh Patel (Dalal) while the other two departments were given to the Chief Minister. Finance Minister Saurabh Patel, who is likely to lose the portfolio, said: "I respect the decision taken by the party high command."