Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel offers to step down

Over two months ahead of her 75th birthday, Gujarat’s first woman chief minister Anandiben Patel offered to step down from the helm in a social media post, asking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership to relieve her of the top responsibility in the state.

Citing examples of other party members who have stepped down after attaining the age of 75 years, Patel said that the move was exemplary and she was following the same.

“Since sometime senior party workers have voluntarily stepped down after attaining the age of 75 years to make way for the next generation in the party, which is exemplary for all. Even I would be completing 75 years in November. However, 2017, will see state assembly elections being held in Gujarat in December as well as the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January. In order to provide ample time for the new chief minister for these events, through this letter, I humbly request the senior party leadership to relieve me from the responsibility two months in advance,” Patel said in a post published on her Facebook and Twitter page in Gujarati.
Patel’s offer to resign comes at a time when the BJP-led Gujarat government is reeling under unrest from different communities such as the Patidars and Dalits since almost an year. According to observers, the recent uprising among the Dalits to protest against the public thrashing of four Dalit youths in Una over alleged cow killing by some so-called 'cow protectors' has left the state administration embarrassed. Senior ministers and party workers were unavailable for comment.

Patel, who took charge as the CM of Gujarat in May 2014 from Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the general elections, has been in the state government since the past 18 years, a significant time of which she has held ministerial posts in education and revenue.

The post put to rest speculations of her exit that had risen in the wake of recent resignation of Union Minister Najma Heptulla due to the undeclared age bar of 75 years for ministers put by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, a couple of ministers in Madhya Pradesh, including senior leader Babulal Gaur and Sartaj Singh, were dropped from the state cabinet by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan due to the age bar.

Patel will cross the age bar of 75 years on November 21 this year as she was born in 1941. Heptulla, who crossed 75 years, was reportedly asked to submit her resignation.

Being in the state government for the past 18 years and holding significant posts, I have always endeavoured to bring in creative solutions and ensure implementation of result-oriented, citizen-friendly schemes.

Maintaining that she had "made all efforts to serve Gujarat's citizens", Patel thanked PM Modi for trusting her with the post of chief minister.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/08/gujarat-cm-anandiben-patel-offers-step/
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