Effect Fourth change of guard in a kingdom Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this year replaces Vijay Rupani with Bhupendra Patel as Chief Minister of Gujarat on Sunday. Although the decision came out of the blue, the intrigue that inspired it had been gathering momentum for some time. To hide it all, the government in Gujarat asked a journalist to be arrested and jailed on sedition charges for reporting that there was a change in the card. Patels or Patidars have been the backbone of the BJP in Gujarat, but Narendra Modi’s rise as chief minister in 2001 destabilized the cordial relations between the community and the party. Anandiben Patel would replace Mr. Modi after becoming prime minister, but she did not hold office for long. The partial rejection of the Patels to accommodate a wide range of caste groups in their tents was the BJP’s approach under Mr. Modi and Amit Shah, and their national strategy reflects Gujarat’s experimentation. The Patels, in turn, revolted against the Modi-Shah axis several times over the past two decades. Mr. Rupani was nothing short of impressive in administrative functions or managing social alliances. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly exposed their failures. With assembly elections approaching, Patel becoming more restless, and the Aam Aadmi Party trying to emerge as a more viable opposition than the rudderless Congress, the BJP had to act. The nominated chief minister is a first-time legislator, elected from the constituency vacated by Ms Patel. This change also underlines the culture of the high command which has now taken root in the BJP.
A Patel’s return to power marks a reversal of the BJP’s strategy of forming an alliance of diverse caste groups under a marginal caste leader. Mr Modi projected himself as a leader of a backward class in 2014, and subsequent leadership choices at various levels followed the trend. There are exceptions, such as Yogi Adityanath, a Rajput, who was elected chief minister in Uttar Pradesh. The dominant castes within and outside the party have been opposing it and the BJP is now feeling the pressure. When he had to replace BS Yediyurappa, a member of the dominant Lingayat community, as chief minister in Karnataka, the BJP ensured that his successor was from the same community. The ongoing standoff between the party and Jat farmers in UP and Haryana is also a sign of tension between the BJP and a major social group. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is facing the heat. These communities are bargaining for a large share of power in the Hindutva tent of the BJP. The BJP is working partly under pressure, but it is feeling more confident about the support of marginalized communities and poorer sections to accommodate its traditional supporters.
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