Gujarat has been ruled by BJP for more than 25 years. However, the journey to power has not been easy for the BJP, which, despite calling itself a disciplined party, has faced numerous internal controversies and upheavals.
The chair, which was snatched from the then Chief Minister Keshubhai 15 months before the elections because of his poor performance post the 2001 earthquake, remained away from him for life. The same thing happened later in the case of Anandiben, who resigned 15 months before the election in the wake of the Patidar agitation controversy. With 17 months to go before the Assembly elections, the tug-of-war for the incumbent Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s chair has begun again.
The first BJP government in Gujarat was formed in 1995 and Keshubhai Patel became the Chief Minister on March 14, 1995, but within seven months, Shankarsinh Vaghela revolted and Patel had to resign. Although the BJP government was formed again in the mid-term elections held after the dissolution of the Assembly in 1998 and Keshubhai was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the second time on March 4, there was a lot of controversy over the rehabilitation work after the 2001 earthquake. Following the BJP’s defeat in the Sabarkantha Lok Sabha and Sabarmati Assembly by-elections, the High Command had made Narendra Modi the Chief Minister in October 2001, a year and a half before the elections, following the resignation of Keshubhai Patel.
When Narendra Modi first became the Prime Minister of India in 2014, the throne of Gujarat was handed over to Anandiben Patel. During Anandiben’s reign, the Patidar movement outbroke. This agitation of Hardik Patel laid the foundation of the political rise and the BJP was duly wiped out in the district-taluka panchayat elections held in Gujarat.
For this reason, Anandiben Patel was removed from the post of Chief Minister in August 2016, 15 months before the Assembly elections of December 2017. At that time, Vijay Rupani was introduced as the new Chief Minister of the state. The 2017 assembly elections were also contested under the leadership of Vijay Rupani.
After Anandiben’s resignation, Vijay Rupani was instated as the Chief Minister. The BJP did not leave any stone unturned in presenting the image of the Rupani government as ‘sensitive’. Gujarat BJP needed to do such a makeover after the Anandiben’s abortive era
Nevertheless, Rupani has not been allowed to rule for the last year. Now the game of victimizing him—as to his alleged poor performance amid the pandemic—has started within the BJP circles. Interestingly, with 17 months left for the Gujarat Assembly elections, Rupani has also started talking about creating ‘Chhatrabhang Yoga’.
“During the Covid pandemic we understood the importance of yoga… it increases our immunity. It has been proved that yoga can chase away corona (virus). Pranayam is the solution to oxygen related issues,” Rupani said while virtually addressing yoga trainers through video conference at an event organised by the Gujarat State Yog Board on Tuesday.
Now a discussion and analysis is going on between the senior leaders and high command of Gujarat BJP that assembly elections are to be held in Gujarat in December 2022, i.e. there are still 17 months left. Seeing the displeasure of the party leaders over the government’s action during the pandemic in Gujarat, the issue of whether the BJP’s Keshubhai, Anandiben tragedies would resurface is being discussed.