Japan K Pathak, Gandhinagar | For many — barring a few of us journalists — the elevation of Harsh Sanghavi, the then Minister of State in Bhupendra Patel’s outgoing Cabinet, to the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat came as a surprise during the swearing-in ceremony at Mahatma Mandir on Friday.

At 40, Sanghavi joins a rare league. The last time Gujarat saw such a young Deputy Chief Minister was in 1994, when Narhari Amin assumed the post at 39 — a product of political tussles between Janata Dal (Gujarat) and Congress factions. Sanghavi’s rise, however, is of a different kind: earned, not engineered. It is a recognition of merit, not a by-product of political arithmetic or factional compromise.

With this elevation, he now stands alongside names like Chimanbhai Patel, Keshubhai Patel, and Nitinbhai Patel — all of whom held the same post but largely out of political expediency. Sanghavi’s case is distinct. He represents a small Jain community, constituting barely two percent of Gujarat’s population. He leads no faction, poses no threat, and serves no compulsive electoral logic. His ascent is, therefore, purely on performance and trust.

As someone who prides himself on being a data-driven journalist, I can hardly recall the last time Gujarat had a Cabinet-rank Home Minister who wasn’t the Chief Minister himself. Traditionally, every CM — from Keshubhai Patel to Bhupendra Patel — retained the Home portfolio, delegating it only to a Minister of State.

Even Amit Shah, under then CM Narendra Modi, served as Minister of State for Home. Vipul Chaudhary, Haren Pandya, Gordhan Zadafia, Mahendra Trivedi, Rajni Patel, Praful Patel, and Pradipsinh Jadeja ….. all held the same junior rank. That makes Harsh Sanghavi’s appointment as Cabinet-rank Home Minister exceptional — a clear indication of the confidence the leadership reposes in him.

Beyond Home, Sanghavi now also handles Industries, Law & Justice, and Tourism — among Gujarat’s most crucial portfolios — in addition to Sports, SMEs, Civil Aviation, and others. It’s a weighty portfolio mix, reflecting both responsibility and trust. The portfolio of Cabinet rank minister for Industries in Gujarat is considered very important.

Sanghavi’s proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, HM Amit Shah and former BJP chief and Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil – the three power sources of Gujarat – has been prolonged, tested and well-earned. It is neither accidental nor opportunistic. It has been earned through performance. Recently, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lothal near Ahmedabad, bad weather forced him to abandon his plan to fly to the city and travel by road instead. What caught everyone’s attention was whom he chose to accompany him — Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the then Minister of State Harsh Sanghavi. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the media, which saw it as a significant signal.

Sanghavi is a “can-do” taskmaster. Be it the arrangement of Modi’s public events abroad, or election tasks in various poll-bound States, or party’s organizational assignments, Sanghavi has proved dependable. Youth is another advantage Sanghavi carries. In an era when the party seeks to groom its next generation of leaders, he represents that shift. His ascent owes nothing to caste equations or group loyalties; it’s powered by performance, visibility, and an instinctive grasp of social media. Among Gen-Z Gujaratis, he’s perhaps the only state minister they can instantly name.

I still recall a conversation with the late Haren Pandya, who once told me how thankless the Home Ministry can be. “You work hard all day, meet people, solve issues, and then return home only to find yourself criticized on TV because a crime took place somewhere in the state,” he had said.

Sanghavi, nevertheless in this era of hyper-active digital and social media and multiple micro-regional news-channels has turned potential crises into showcases of control and efficiency. So when there’s a heinous rape and murder case, Sanghavi would ensure that chargesheet is filed in record-short duration, when there’s a case of communal attack on Hindus, the culprits would be arrested, paraded with bulldozers moving. Peacefully executed demolition drives in coastal Saurashtra and Chandola, top-to-bottom arrests in cases of narcotics, are some of examples. That said, I have often criticized him for his lenient approach to traffic enforcement and the visible lack of police on the roads — an area where Gujarat needs far stronger discipline. Yet, his initiatives as Transport Minister including innovative moves such as operations of GSRTC buses to Kumbh Mela, his result-oriented efforts for Commonwealth games in Ahmedabad as a Sports Minister are also noteworthy.

What perhaps distinguishes Harsh Sanghavi most from his peers is his communication instinct. Unlike many BJP leaders who shy away from media fearing a misstep, Sanghavi engages — confidently and clearly. Sanghavi actively and confidently utilizes social, digital and electronic media. He brings clarity. He has friends in the media, thanks to his previous appearances on TV as debater. I observe Sanghavi has a news-sense and judgement of the news-cycle.

I remember my house-help once using the phrase “people with no face.” Curious, I asked what he meant. He explained that such people are those who have no regard for their own prestige or reputation — indifferent to how they are perceived. Politics, I realized, has no shortage of such individuals.

Harsh Sanghavi, however, belongs to the other kind. When a serious tragedy strikes or a major crime makes headlines, he doesn’t disappear; he steps forward. The police act swiftly, results follow, and the narrative often settles in the government’s favor. It’s not as if police inaction or failure in such cases decides elections for Sanghavi or the BJP. What matters is protecting the government’s credibility — upholding its prestige and reputation through timely and visible action. Sanghavi values reputation and perception to such an extent that he doesn’t hesitate to call or message friends in the media to set the record straight and to ensure the facts are right. We journos admire this trait.

Even as a first-term MLA, Sanghavi displayed the same instinct. During floods in Surat, he waded through chest-deep water to rescue citizens — responding not to a political directive, but to a tweeted appeal for help. That responsiveness, born of instinct rather than instruction, continues to define his style of leadership today.

Backed by the party’s central leadership and a secure constituency, Sanghavi has little political battle to contend with in near future. Governance is however a never-ending test of delivery. The more visible and active a leader becomes, the higher the expectations rise. For Harsh Sanghavi, maintaining that pace — both in routine administration and in moments of crisis — will be his true challenge. At 40, with the road stretching far ahead, Harsh Sanghavi stands at a point where every step counts — and every misstep could echo louder than ever. DeshGujarat