Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel, who is swearing in today (12, December) as the chief minister of the 15th Gujarat Assembly--his second term as head of the government--, though a new name and face in the state politics, made two records in a series. He was the first first-time member of the legislative assembly to become the state chief minister in 2021, and the first state leader to lead BJP to a historic win of 156 seats out of the total 182 seats in the 2022 assembly election to set in his sequential second term as chief minister.
Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel began his political journey as a member in Memnagar municipality and got elected as MLA from Ghatlodia constituency (Ahmedabad) in 2017 Gujarat assembly elections. Breaking his own record, Patel once again wins from Ghatlodia constituency by a staggering margin of 1,91,000 votes in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly Elections.
This overwhelming majority depicts the absolute faith of the public in his leadership. It is a testament of his popularity amongst the people. The people of Gujarat have reposed their faith in Patel owing to his political acumen, administrative skills and his dedication to serve the needy. Now, he is determined to further strengthen the administration in Gujarat.
Patel, who sworn-in as the 17th Chief Minister of Gujarat on September 13, 2021 in his first term, has extensive experience in administration, having served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and Corporator for Thaltej ward from 2010 to 2015. He began his political career in 1995, when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Memnagar municipality. He served the municipality for over a decade, becoming Chairman of the local body during 1999-2000 and 2004-2006.
He has also served as the Vice Chairman of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation School Board between 2008 and 2010. Later on, he served as a Corporator from Thaltej ward from 2010 to 2015. During this tenure, he served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
In 2015, he was appointed as the chairman of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). In 2017, Shri Patel became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the first time, by winning the election from Ghatlodia constituency with a wide margin of 1,17,000 votes.
Born on July 15, 1962, in Ahmedabad, Shri Patel holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Ahmedabad. A firm believer of ‘Service before Self,’ Shri Patel has been an active social worker since early age, and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is also an active member of Pandit Deendayal Library managed by RSS at Memnagar.
In his new role as the 18th Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel sees a huge opportunity to serve the citizens of Gujarat and is committed to set new benchmarks of good governance in the state.
Beyond politics, Shri Patel enjoys playing badminton and cricket. Shri Patel is also serving as a trustee at Sardar Dham and World Umiya Foundation.
The records that Bhupendra Patel made in a short span of his political career wasn't that easy either. He was at the forefront of the 2022 Assembly election campaign, which for the first time witnessed a stiff triangle fight with Aam Aadmi Party entering the fray as a strong third contender along with Congress. But he successfully led the BJP to a historic win. The party won an unprecedented 156 seats in the 182 member assembly. He will now lead the Government in the 15th Gujarat Assembly. Under his leadership the party won close to 53 per cent votes and the opposition Congress got only 17 seats and 27 per cent of the votes.
—The author Yamal Vyas is senior BJP leader and chief spokesperson of the party in Gujarat
(Edited by : CH Unnikrishnan)
First Published: Dec 12, 2022 8:44 AM IST
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