After defeat, Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel gives doles to Patidars

GANDHINAGAR: Stung by the Patidar agitation which was one of the main reasons for the BJP's rout in district and taluka panchayats in local body elections, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on Thursday decided to give away 6,000 acres land worth around Rs 6,000 crore at token rates to rural co-operatives for agriculture, dairy and related activities.

"More such initiatives will be taken soon," said state government spokesperson and senior-most minister Nitin Patel, after a four-hour marathon cabinet meeting which the chief minister had called for a thorough postmortem of BJP's rout in rural areas. Sources said most ministers blamed the Patidar stir for BJP's poor performance.

"Patidars and castes close to them voted against the BJP," said Nitin Patel, adding that the government had decided to take all possible corrective measures.

Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have asked for a detailed report on the party's poor performance in rural areas. When asked about this, Nitin Patel said that it's usual for the party high command to call the state leadership after every election.

The CM reportedly asked all cabinet ministers to get feedback from their respective constituencies and districts. A senior minister said on condition of anonymity that a furious CM sought a written report from the ministers on problems affecting their district and taluka panchayats. "All ministers have to present their reports in the next core group meeting of the party,'' the minister said.

Jayanti Kavadiya, a minister who hails from Morbi district, was reportedly criticized by the chief minister severely as BJP suffered a rout even in municipality polls in his area. Kavadiya was asked to give reasons for the BJP's poor performance but he persisted that it was the Patidar agitation that caused the rout.

Another senior minister, however, listed several agriculture-related shortcomings - like inadequate minimum support price, poor supply of electricity and corruption in government schemes - that played a role in the party's debacle.

The chief minister has also asked agriculture minister Babu Bokhiriya and energy minister Saurabh Patel for an explanation.