The deputy chief minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel on Sunday managed to have his way with BJP central leadership yielding to his demands for a 'prestigious portfolio'. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday afternoon made the announcement of allotment of the finance portfolio to Patel, who was upset over the allocation of portfolios not suitable to his 'stature and experience'.

"There was some dissatisfaction as some issues were not addressed in portfolio allocation. Now, Nitinbhai has been allotted Finance Ministry and this puts an end to all the issues. An official communication has been sent to the Governor regarding this," Rupani told media persons in Gandhinagar. Finance portfolio was earlier allotted to Saurabh Patel, who is now left with Energy portfolio.

Earlier in the day, Patel had briefed media at his residence in Ahmedabad announcing the party high-command's agreement to give him portfolio "suitable to his stature".

"As a senior and experienced minister and having served as number-2 position with previous chief ministers, it was expected that suitable portfolios would be allotted. But this time, for some reason, that couldn't happen and three of my earlier held portfolios - finance, urban development and petroleum were taken away from me. I had expressed my feelings to the Chief Minister and also to the party high command, including the party president Amit Shah," Patel said. Rupani held the urban development and petroleum ministries with himself.

'Fight for my prestige'

"Amitbhai called me this morning at 7.30 am and communicated that my prestige will be maintained and assured to allot a suitable portfolio. My fight was never for the portfolio, but for my prestige," said Patel, who has been associated with BJP for over 40 years.

After assurance from the Party president, Patel visited his office and formally took charge on Sunday morning.

On Thursday, in the first cabinet meeting of the new Rupani government Patel was given some of the 'low-profile' portfolios of roads and building, health and family welfare, medical education, Narmada, Kalpasar and State Capital projects. This upset the deputy chief minister, who distanced himself from the media and refrained from attending the office and taking charge.

In a show-of-strength on Saturday, heavy rush was seen outside Patel's residence in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Besides his supporters, some of the elected MLAs and RSS leaders, Patidar quota supporter and Sardar Patel Group leader Lalji Patel also visited him at his residence.

Lalji Patel went on to mount the pressure on the BJP and called for Mehsana bandh on January 1 to protest against 'injustice' to Patel. SPG was supporting the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) for seeking reservation for Patidar community.

Nitin Patel, 61, is MLA from Mehsana and among the senior-most BJP leaders in the government. Patel enjoys significant support from the elected MLAs. Later on Saturday, Patel held talks with senior BJP leaders Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Kaushik Patel and Pradipsinh Jadeja at BJP MLA Babu Jamna Patel's residence in Ahmedabad. Also, BJP leader V Shatish rushed to Ahmedabad on Saturday to listen to Patel's demands and placate him.

"About 4,000-5,000 people, from all age-groups and all sections of the society from villages and cities, visited me at my residence. I thank all of them for extending their support to me. I will continue to work for the party," Patel said, adding that there was no chance of him quitting the party or joining the Congress.

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