Mehta & Rupani are old political pals: Marathe

Jyotindra Mehta, National President, Sahakar Bharati felicitated Vijaybhai Rupani on his election as CM of Gujarat. Vijay Rupani was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on Sunday.

Sahakar Bharati Chief and the new Chief Minister are believed to have grown up together politically. Mehta and Rupani are said to have coordinated the JP movement in Gujarat.

Satish Marathe, the Patron of Sahakar Bharati writes on FB wall “Both are ex ABVP Karyakartas who actively participated in Nav Nirman Andolan & the JP Movement. Both were detained under the obnoxious MISA during the black days of Emergency 1975-77.”

Rupani has been brought in as BJP is grappling with unrest due to the Patel quota stir and attacks on Dalits ahead of a high-stakes assembly vote scheduled next year. Rupani met Governor O P Kohli on Saturday and staked his claim to form the government, a day after he was elected by the BJP legislators to succeed Anandiben Patel, with the central leadership playing a vital role in the choice.

In a dramatic turnabout in political developments, the BJP central leadership Friday decided on Rupani, Amit Shah’s loyalist and state party chief, to replace Anandiben instead of Nitin Patel the front-runner till the last moment.