Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel's leadership to tested with local polls

GANDHINAGAR: For Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel, 2015 is a crucial year. With local body elections scheduled for later this year, Patel’s leadership will be tested. Fully aware of this, she has completed touring all the districts of the state even before completing a year in office, and plans to repeat the exercise in the next 90 days. Patel’s ascension after Narendra Modi’s departure for Delhi dashed the aspirations of a number of leaders in the state. While the Modi effect saw her through byelections last year, party members maintain that it will largely be local issues that determine the outcome of the upcoming contests.

While Patel has been working hard to establish her leadership in the state party unit, there has been some resistance to this. Sources close to her also admit this to be the case but are banking on her ability to work hard and get the needed support from the high command.

However, not leaving anything to chance, a number of programmes have been planned across the state ahead of the polls. While the state BJP executive meets on April 12, a year-long programme commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar will be launched on April 13. A two-day Vikas Yatra is being planned for April 17-18 in rural areas and on April 24-25 in urban areas.