Ahmedabad: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today stayed away from answering the question pertaining to Nitin Patel’s sulk. Rupani was speaking to media persons after inaugurating a flower show organized by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation here. When media persons asked about Nitin Patel’s sulk over portfolio allocation, Rupani smiled and walked away suggesting that he should be asked question only about flower show.

Amid speculations of his being ‘aggrieved’ at the said ‘clipping of wings’, Deputy CM Nitin Patel yesterday did not take charge of his office. Unconfirmed reports said that Patel whose Finance, Urban Development and housing and Petrochemicals departments were taken away from him during the portfolio allocation, was also not using the government vehicle and escort given to him. He was using his personal vehicle instead.

Patel also remained mysteriously silent during the joint press conference with CM Rupani after the first cabinet meeting of the BJP government. The meeting started after a delay of 4 hours at 9 pm in the night owing to said bickering over the portfolio distribution.

Patel who is otherwise media friendly, did not return the calls on his number yesterday.

Though the number two position of Patel one of the senior-most leader BJP with vast experience as minister, has been maintained theoretically by keeping his DyCM post intact this time around but he has only been given Road and building, health and family welfare, medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital Project departments instead of last times’ Finance, Urban Development and Urban Housing, Road and Building, Capital Project, Narmada, Kalpasar, Petrochemicals.

In order to make Nitin Patel’s office on the second floor of Swarnim Sankul in Gandhinagar as large as the size of Chief Minister’s office, adjusting Girnar hall is being modified. Patel’s office is at present 28 x 29 in size. It will be made as larger as 45 x 29 to match it with Chief Minister’s office.

Speculations are rife that Nitin Patel had spoken to former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel last evening. It is learnt that Patel has been asked to calm down assuring that some solution will be brought in couple of days by party leaders.

DeshGujarat