By Abdul Hafiz Lakhani
Ahmedabad: High political drama in Gujarat is taking shape as Congress has openly offered state Dy.CM to cross the fence and be CM Of Modi’s home state. Close on the heels of Gujarat deputy CM’s veiled outburst against ruling BJP dispensation under Vijay Rupani government, the political pot is hoting up as Rajya sabha election in the state is very much on cards. Dy. CM Nitin Patel spoke on February 29 at the stone-laying ceremony of ‘Maa Umiya Temple’ — the proposed tallest temple to be built in Ahmedabad. He had said: “I have reached here at this junction only because of the blessings of Maa. Otherwise, everybody knows that I am on the one side, whereas everybody else is on the other side.”
Opposition Congress offered the latter the chief minister’s post if he joins the party and accepts its ideology. Senior legislator of the Congress party Virji Thummar, who made the offer to the Deputy Chief Minister, said, “I am making this offer in a personal capacity, that if Nitin Patel quits BJP, along with 15-20 MLAs, and is ready to accept Congress ideology of secularism and ideology for poor, farmers and youth, the party will support him as the CM of Gujarat.”
Thummar went on, “Like we have supported the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the Mahagathbandhan government is running well, Nitin Patel’s dream can come true, with our support.” “On Saturday, in a social function, Nitin Patel had said, he is alone and all are against him in BJP. Patel is a very good person and works for people and if he feels lonely in the BJP, we are ready to support him provided he quits and joins us 20 BJP MLAs. I can convince my party to extend Patel the necessary support,” the senior MLA asserted.
Earlier, Congress Legislative Party Deputy leader Shailesh Parmar had also claimed that BJP MLAs, who are unhappy with the party and the government, are going to join the Congress soon. On Friday, Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja had offered Congress MLA Gulabsinh Rajput to join BJP. This offer was made on the floor of the house. Such offers are likely to continue till the March Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel as RS election will be held in last leg of March.
In reply, Nitin Patel told the House, “I don’t want to go anywhere. Congress should stop daydreaming. I have been misinterpreted.” Patel was referring to his speech on February 29 at the stone-laying ceremony of ‘Maa Umiya Temple’ — the proposed tallest temple to be built in Ahmedabad. He had said: “I have reached here at this junction only because of the blessings of Maa. Otherwise everybody knows that I am on the one side, whereas everybody else is on the other side.” In the 182-member Assembly, the BJP has 103 seats and the Congress 73.