He is down, but not out. Former deputy chief minister Nitin Patel who, along with the entire set of ministers in Gujarat, has not found place in the new government, on Thursday said that he will contest 2022 assembly election.
Speaking to a vernacular television news channel, Patel said that the decision of whether to contest or not is his and to make him minister or give any other responsibility is that of persons holding the posts from time to time.
The five-time MLA said that he would contest from Mehsana, his current constituency, adding that a large number of developmental works have been carried out in Kadi and Mehsana in the last couple of years.
The sixty-five-year-old leader reminded the masses that he has been in the political field for 40 years. He also held that during Khajurao rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghlea in mid 1990s, he had even offered to leave the minister’s post so that if needed someone else could be accommodated to avert the crisis.
The rebellion eventually had led to the fall of the then Keshubhai Patel-led BJP government. Patel highlighted his loyalty to the party saying that he remained with the BJP. Vaghela had later gone on to form Rashtriya Janata Party.
Near the Raj Bhavan, where the swearing in ceremony of ministers took place, Patel said that it is for the first time in the history of India that all ministers, including the chief minister, have been changed at one go.
In the last couple of days, Patel had become emotional while speaking to the masses and the media.
He, however, claimed that he has not been unhappy and would never be.