Gujarat elections: Bhupendra Patel replaced Vijay Rupani last September.
New Delhi:
The seventh term of the ruling BJP in Gujarat will begin today with a solemn swearing-in ceremony for Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who replaced Vijay Rupani last September, ahead of elections in the state. Some 25 cabinet ministers will also swear the oath to him. Contrary to growing anti-incumbent concerns, the BJP won a landslide victory in Gujarat – winning 156 of the state’s 182 seats and 53% of the vote.
The ceremony in Gandhinagar will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and other central ministers.
Ministers from BJP-ruled states and their allies will also attend. The list includes Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh, Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam, Manohar Lal Khattar of Haryana, Shivraj Singh Chauhan of Madhya Pradesh, Basavaraj Bommai of Karnataka, Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy by Mr. Devendra Fadnavis.
Sources said BJP chief JP Nadda, BL senior leader Santosh and MPs who campaigned in Gujarat will also be present.
Sources said detailed preparations have been made on the infrastructure and ceremony. The helipad in Gandhinagar – where the swearing-in ceremony will take place – will have three large stages. The platform in between will be for the Prime Minister and his cabinet.
The stage on the right of the main stage is for the Prime Minister and VVIPs. The one on the left will feature 200 saints from the state who have been specially invited for the ceremony.
Sources say the audience will include members from all communities, but Patidars, Other Backwards, Scheduled Castes and Tribes and women will be given priority. Priorities have been made keeping in mind the Lok Sabha in 2024 and then the state elections in 2026, the sources said.
The BJP has made great strides in the Scheduled Parties and Tribes – traditionally the bastion of Congress, in this election. But Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party – which has opened accounts in the state this time – has also attempted to create influence groups.
Patidars, traditional supporters of the BJP, were not pleased with the party. But with Hardik Patel moving camp from Congress to the BJP, the party is trying not to rock the boat. Hardik Patel won this time from Viramgam constituency, defeating Lakhabhai Bharwad of Parliament by more than 50,000 votes.
The BJP’s unprecedented sweep has pushed Congress and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party to the sidelines. The congress – which spooked the BJP in 2017 with 77 seats and limited the party to 99 – this time won just 17 seats.
The AAP, after conducting a clear and vocal campaign, won only five seats. Its key leaders in the state, the president of the state of Gopal Italia, the leader Patidar Alpesh Kathiriya and the chief minister Isudan Gadhvi have all died.
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