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Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009
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Eclipse of Keshubhai

Manas Dasgupta

This is perhaps the end of the "Patel era" in the State

Far from the madding crowd, the one-time BJP strongman in Gujarat and former chief minister, Keshubhai Patel, is spending his days away from the public glare.

The hustle and bustle of the general elections has not touched the 79-year old leader, who spends his time doing yoga and gardening; the only public work that engages his attention is the affairs of the Somnath temple.

He refuses to talk about politics or meet media persons unless it is purely a social call. “No more politics,” his aides say firmly. No one has come to seek his advice or as yet to seek his blessings. It will be the first election in years that has not seen his involvement, perhaps heralding the end of the “Patel era” in State politics.

His aides said he had not yet been contacted by the BJP to campaign for the party, but even if it did, he is no mood to respond.

No one has told him but he realizes that his utility for the state BJP is over. Mr Patel along with another former BJP stalwart, Shankarsinh Waghela, now the union textile minister, is credited with building up the BJP in the state. Mr Patel, in fact, is perhaps the oldest surviving member of the erstwhile Jan Sangh. The stand-off between Mr Waghela and Mr Modi, who as the co-ordinator between the organizational and legislative wings of the party, was like the “de facto” chief minister, resulted in his bringing down the Keshubhai Patel ministry in 1995.

Mr Patel came back to power with a two-thirds majority in the 1998 elections. And yet he could not complete his full term. Three years later, riding the issue of Mr. Patel’s “non-performance,” Mr Modi re-emerged to take the centre stage. Several other leading BJP leaders have also fallen by the wayside under the onslaught of the Modi juggernaut.

The crushing defeat of the rebels led by Mr Patel and Mr Mehta before the 2007 elections, has virtually brought an end to their political career.

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