Vijay Rupani was sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat and Nitin Patel as deputy Chief Minister at a swearing in ceremony held at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on 7th August. The ceremony was attended by top BJP leaders, including party president Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and party patriarch LK Advani.
The decision to put Rupani at the helm of affairs instead of the much-hyped Patel, wasn't easy to make. Reports suggest, the BJP office in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, saw high drama and heated arguments between Amit Shah and Anandiben Patel when the party got together to choose the next CM, on 5th August. A source said, "Anandiben almost broke down saying the Patidar agitation was internally engineered to dislodge her. This provoked Shah to retort he had no role to play but now he would decide on the next chief minister and he mentioned Rupani's name." The source added, "Anandiben insisted that as agreed earlier, the party should go by seniority and select Nitin Patel because Rupani is a first-time MLA and lacks administrative experience. She even reportedly threatened to leave the meeting halfway but Shah did not budge from his backing to Rupani."
Rupani making the new CM hit the Patel community a tad too hard as it had rallied behind Patel. Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel said, "Nitin Patel should immediately resign from the party." Hopefully, the decision, which seems in the vested interest of Shah, does not affect the party's backing in the Patel community.
On Sunday, Governor OP Kohli also administered the oath of office and secrecy to seven Cabinet Ministers and 16 Ministers of State. Rupani stirred up the state cabinet, dropping 8 of Anandiben's ministers. The new board effectively reeks of Amit Shah. In a major move, the new CM dropped Saurabh Patel, Minister of Finance, Energy and Petrochemicals, Tourism and Planning.
Rupani team
Vijay Rupani/ Chief Minister
GAD, administrative reforms and training, home, industry, ports, mines and minerals, information and broadcasting, science and technology, climate change, all policies and subject matters not allotted to other ministers
Nitin Patel/ Deputy CM
Finance, town planning, urban development and housing, road and building, Narmada, Kalpasar, petrochemical and patnagar yojna
Cabinet rank
Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, 66
One of the senior ministers in the previous Anandiben government, Chudasama was one of the first to be retained by Rupani in his Cabinet. With strong RSS roots, he will handle revenue and education.
Ganpat Vasava, 45
The youngest and first Speaker of Gujarat from the tribal community, Vasava will ahndle Forest, tribal development, tourism
Chiman Shapariya, 61
A noted Leuva Patidar leader from Jamnagar, will handle agriculture and power.
Babu Bokhiria, 63
Bokhiria, a science graduate, has retained his position as cabinet minister. Will handle water supply, animal husbandry, fisheries, cow breeding, civil aviation, salt industries
Atmaram Parmar, 64
BJP MLA from reserved Gadhada constituency, Parmar is the only Dalit minister in Rupani cabinet. He will handle social justice and empowerment (including welfare of scheduled castes, welfare of socially and educationally backward class), women and child welfare
Dilip Thakor, 57
Thakor is a powerful OBC leader from Chanasama constituency of North Gujarat, Patan district. He will handle labour and employment, disaster management, pilgrimage development
Jayesh Radadiya, 35
He is also the youngest minister in the cabinet of Rupani. Will handle food, civil supplies & consumer affairs, printing and stationery, cottage industry
Ministers of State
Shankar Chaudhari, 46
Chaudhari is a representative from OBC communities and a controversial figure. He will handle health and family welfare, medical education, environment (independent charge) and urban development
Pradipsinh Jadeja, 54
A strong Amit Shah loyalist, Jadeja is retained by Rupani from the previous government. He will handle police housing, border security, civil defence, home guards, gram rakshak dal, prison, prohibition, excise law and justice NGO coordination, non-resident Gujaratis protocol (independent charge), home and power
Jayanti Kavadiya, 56
A Patidar from Dhrangadhra. He will handle panchayat, rural housing and rural development (independent charge)
Nanu Vanani, 60
He is one of the seven Patidar ministers in Rupani cabinet. He will handle water resources (independent charge), primary and secondary education.
Parshottam Solanki, 55
An influential Koli leader, Solanki has retained his position in Rupani cabinet. Will handle fisheries department.
Jasha Barad, 64
Barad has worked as a Minister of State in different governments in the past and was a Minister of State (Agriculture & Civil Aviation) in the Anandiben government. Will handle water supply, civil aviation and salt industry
Bachubhai Khabad, 61
He was a Minister of State (Fisheries and Forests & Environment) in the Anandiben government. Will handle animal husbandry and cow breeding
Jaydrathsinh Parmar, 52
A three time MLA, Parmar was a Minister of State for Roads & Buildings Department in the Anandiben Government. Will handle road and buildings, higher and technical education
Ishwarsinh Patel, 51
Three-time MLA from Ankleshwar, Patel is an OBC leader from South Gujarat. He will look after cooperation (independent charge)
Vallabh Kakadiya, 72
Kakadiya, a Patidar, is a second time MLA from Thakkarbapa Nagar constituency of Ahmedabad city. He will handle transportation (independent charge)
Rajendra Trivedi, 62
Trivedi is an MLA from Vadodara’s Raopura constituency. He is a law graduate from MS University of Vadodara and will handle sports, youth, cultural activities (independent charge) and pilgrimage development.
Keshaji Chauhan, 54
An OBC, Chauhan has been elected from the North Gujarat constituency of Deodar. Will handle welfare of socially and educationally backward classes.
Rohit Patel, 67
A strong Patidar leader, Patel had been the treasurer of BJP for Anand district between 1999 and 2010.Will handle industries, finance and mines and minerals
Vallabh Vaghasia, 61
Vaghasia, a Patidar, has been elected from Savarkundla constituency of Saurashtra.
Will look after agriculture and urban housing development
Nirmala Wadhwani
Women and child welfare
Shubdasharan Tadvi
Forest and tribal development
