New Delhi : Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar, who celebrated his 62nd birthday on May 5, also appears to be on the way out, like his Gujarat colleague Anandiben Patel (74); both are being removed for their failure to effectively handle agitations.
Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh (70), a Jat leader who had defected from the Congress to the BJP just before the 2014 elections, is tipped to be the new Haryana chief minister while Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel (59) is likely to replace Anandiben Patel.
Speculation about Anandi-ben’s removal gained sudden momentum on Monday when she called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while her supposed replacement Nitin Patel met BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi. The party’ state unit however denied any such move, blaming the Congress for spreading “misinformation”.
Based on a report by Vice-president Om Mathur, which said that the party is fast losing ground in Gujarat, especially after the ham-handed handling of the Patel agitation, the BJP leadership is considering sending Anandi-ben to Punjab or Haryana as Governor. Incidentally, she will be turning 75 later this year and the party’s policy is not to retain any union minister or chief minister who is 76 plus.
Gujarat CM Anandiben tipped to take over as Punjab/Haryana Governor
Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah, who has also turned 75, may be the party’s candidate for the post of the Vice-President, who is also the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
The party leadership decided to show the door to Khattar as he has proved to be a liability for the party, particularly after he failed to control the Jat agitation early this year.
It resulted in not just loss of lives but also massive destruction of public and private property.
Party sources said both Khattar and Anandiben were handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both have turned out to be a big disappointment. They said Modi has now asked Shah to replace both with leaders who can turn the political fortunes in the party’s favour.
A low-profile Birender Singh taking over Haryana reins will help in placating the Jats who are miffed with the BJP. The leadership felt his installation as the CM will also help the BJP in Jat-dominated western UP in the Assembly elections due early next year.
