New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who was sent as a BJP observer to elect a new chief minister in Gujarat, Monday told ThePrint that Bhupendra Patel was chosen unanimously since the party was looking for a fresh face who could work seamlessly with the rest of the state leadership.
In an interview with ThePrint, Joshi dismissed suggestions that caste considerations were at play in Bhupendra’s choice as Gujarat CM, and also played down speculation that state deputy chief minister Nitin Patel was unhappy with developments.
Bhupendra Patel, a first-time MLA, took oath as Gujarat chief minister Monday afternoon in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Joshi and another Union minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, were also present.
Joshi also told ThePrint that the Rajya Sabha chairman is looking to form a committee that will take action against MPs who mishandled marshals and “eroded Parliament prestige during the monsoon session”.
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‘Bhupendra Patel the right choice’
Joshi, who was sent as an observer to Gujarat, along with Narendra Singh Tomar, to oversee the smooth transition of power, told ThePrint that Bhupendra Patel had emerged as the most acceptable face for the post, after incumbent Vijay Rupani resigned Saturday.
“After discussion with MLAs and the BJP high command, our view was that Bhupendra Patel was the most acceptable, humble and a fresh face to take over,” he said.
On why seasoned politicians such as Nitin Patel had been ignored, Joshi said, “The party will use his experience in the coming days; his respect will be protected. This is not a party in which if one person becomes the chief minister, the others will be ignored. There is a lot of work and posts. Whether it is Rupaniji or Nitin bhai, their experience will be utilised.”
The union minister also dismissed suggestions that Bhupendra’s elevation was a ploy to balance caste equations and counter Congress leader Hardik Patel and the Aam Aadmi Party.
“There was a need for a new face and new leadership. Rupani during his tenure served the interests of everyone, including Patidars,” Joshi said. “Like Rupani, Bhupendra Patel will serve the interests of everyone; not just Patels. The BJP does not think of serving only one community; it looks to serve in the interests of society.”
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‘Anytime a committee can be formed on Parliament ruckus’
On whether the government wanted to take action MPs who disrupted the monsoon session, the Parliamentary Affairs minister said “it is the prerogative of the chairman to constitute a committee.
“Consultations are ongoing, a committee can be formed any time. We have requested the chairman to take action,” he said. “This is the first time in Parliamentary history where MPs manhandled marshals. We were also in opposition but we never resorted to such behaviour.”
On 12 August, CCTV footage showed opposition MPs jostling with marshals in the Rajya Sabha after protests, over the the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill being passed, escalated. Opposition MPs had then claimed that outsiders were brought in to manhandle them.
Joshi, however, told ThePrint that the MPs attempted to enter the Rajya Sabha chairman’s chamber. “The chairman is an institution, not an individual. These MP’s did not heed the chairman’s order and tried to enter his chamber,” Joshi said. “This trend is dangerous for democracy. We want action. It is the firm view of the government that the Congress and TMC should introspect on their behaviour. Democracy has to survive and flourish in the country.”
On the question of Leader of Opposition, the Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge saying they won’t be party of any committee, Joshi said, “He knows that they can’t defend the indefensible. Their party has many legal minds in the Rajya Sabha but even they fear they won’t be able to defend the MPs if they see footage of RSTV and CCTVs.”
‘We will win Uttarakhand’
Joshi is the poll in-charge of Uttarakhand where elections are due in February or March next year. The union minister said there is no factionalism in the state, which has seen the BJP change two chief ministers in a short span of time.
“Every week, I go to the state to look after poll preparations. The earlier government had done a good job and now Pushkar Dhami is doing a good job,” he said. “We under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win the Uttarakhand elections next year. There is no doubt about it. Everybody will work under one team; there is no factionalism in the state unit.”
“We will win all the state elections under the Prime Minister’s leadership. There is no problem in any state,” Joshi added.
(Edited by Arun Prashanth)
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