Rajkot: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was in Rajkot on Monday for inaugurating a cathlab at civil hospital and for flagging off 25 electric buses. After the functions, the Chief Minister chose to visit industrialist Naresh Patel’s farm house for lunch. City BJP leaders including MLAs, minister joined the Chief Minister on this lunch which was followed by a photo session.

Naresh Patel heads Khodaldham trust, activities of which are centered around a grand temple of Khodiyar. The trust also functions for the unity of Leuva Patidar community with political and social overtones. Leaning to Congress and flirting with BJP, Patel has been compulsively neutral. He enjoys the media’s over-hype about him and about his abilities ahead of the State assembly polls. He openly does lobbying for the maximum possible number of tickets to Patidar community candidates in the elections.

Patel had once publicly opined that Patidar community persons should be in all important positions across the ranks. He had also openly demanded a Patidar community person as a Chief Minister. Whether related or unrelated, coincidental or otherwise, weeks after that, then Chief Minister Rupani was replaced with Bhupendra Patel.