PROFILE: Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat's dark horse

Simple, straightforward, accessible, efficient with a non-controversial image are what Bhupendra Patel's colleagues describe Gujarat's new Chief Minister. In today's politics, these qualities have become a rarity, and this in turn has become handy for the BJP central observers to pick Bhupendra Patel (59) to succeed Vijay Rupani.

Ahmedabad:Simple, straightforward, accessible, efficient with a non-controversial image are what Bhupendra Patel's colleagues describe him. In today's politics, these qualities have become a rarity, and this in turn has become handy for the BJP central observers to pick Patel (59) to succeed Vijay Rupani.

Patel’s surprise elevation — he is the first from the Patidar sub-group to be Chief Minister — is well calibrated to the BJP’s plans to woo the community that has drifted away from the party. He has a bigger role cut out under whose leadership the 2022 assembly elections will be fought.

Patel is a first-time MLA from Ghatlodia, the constituency vacated by former chief minister Anandiben Patel after she was appointed Madhya Pradesh Governor. He shot into prominence after defeated Congress candidate Shashikant Patel by one lakh votes, considered to be the highest winning margin in the 2017 Assembly elections.

His political journey started from Memnagar Nagarpalika in Ahmedabad in the 1990s and Patel served as president of the city civic body in 1999-2000 and 2004-06. Before contesting the corporation election, he also served as AMC school board vice chairman from 2008-10.

Among the leaders, Patel considers Anandiben as one of his mentors. Soon after his appointment to the Chief Minister post, Patel told the Press, “the blessings of Anandiben Patel have always been with me”, besides expressing gratitude towards PM Narendra Modi, party president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Colleagues who have worked with Patel in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) describe him as "a simple, grounded person with a non-controversial image".

According to a former deputy municipal commissioner from AMC, who once worked with Patel told a national daily, "Gujarat has got a low-profile, honest and hard-working CM.”

A civil engineer and member of the Gujarat Institute of Civil Engineers and Architects (GICEA), Patel has been in the real-estate business for 25 years.

Patel is known to be God-fearing and religious. "He is a devout follower of Dada Bhagwan. That’s the reason we call him Dada," said a former AMC official.