Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel passes away
Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who played a pivotal role in strengthening the BJP in the state, died here on Thursday after prolonged illness, family sources said.
Patel (92), who recovered from coronavirus infection recently, was rushed to a hospital in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning following health complications, the sources said.
The BJP veteran was the state chief minister in 1995 and again during 1998-2001. Narendra Modi had succeeded him as Gujarat chief minister.
The state government has declared a day's state mourning on Thursday, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani told reporters. Keshubhai's last rites will be performed with full state honours, he added.
Hospital authorities said Patel died due to cardiac arrest.
Patel was rushed to the hospital after his pulse and oxygen level dropped on Thursday morning, his son Bharat Patel said. "He recently recovered from coronavirus, but his health kept deteriorating," he added.
The ruling BJP has postponed all its by-poll related programmes, including public rallies, following Patel's death.
"All state government work was also put on hold today as a mark of respect," Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said. Rupani cut short a poll rally at Ghadhada and visited Keshubhai's residence in Gandhinagar, where the body was kept, to pay tributes.
"He was like BJP's Bhishma Pitamah in Gujarat. He had a tremendous socio-political acumen. He spoke less, but his every word was a command for BJP workers.
"Being a farmer himself, he worked for their welfare. We passed a resolution in the state cabinet meeting to express grief over this loss," Rupani told reporters.
Patel was a member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly six times. He quit the BJP in 2012 and floated the Gujarat Parivartan Party, which performed poorly in 2012 Assembly polls and merged with the BJP in 2014.
Born in Visavadar town of Junagadh district in 1928, Patel joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1945 as a pracharak. He started his political career as a worker for the Jan Sangh.
Patel was also the chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the famous Somnath temple in Saurashtra region. Several dignitaries, including President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid tributes to the BJP stalwart.
President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "With the demise of Keshubhai Patel, former Gujarat chief minister, the nation has lost a stalwart leader. His long public life was dedicated to improving the lives of millions, especially in villages. As champion of farmers causes, he enjoyed extraordinary rapport with masses."
Modi remembered Patel through a series of tweets and shared some old photographs showing him with the BJP veteran.
"Our beloved and respected Keshubhai has passed away.
I am deeply pained and saddened. He was an outstanding leader who cared for every section of society. His life was devoted towards the progress of Gujarat and the empowerment of every Gujarati," Modi tweeted.
"Keshubhai travelled across the length and breadth of Gujarat to strengthen the Jana Sangh and BJP. He resisted the Emergency tooth and nail. Issues of farmer welfare were closest to his heart. Be it as MLA, MP, Minister or CM, he ensured many farmer friendly measures were passed," Modi said.
"Keshubhai mentored and groomed many younger Karyakartas including me. Everyone loved his affable nature.
His demise is an irreparable loss. We are all grieving today. My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers. Spoke to his son Bharat and expressed condolences. Om Shanti." he tweeted.
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Vala, were among those who remembered Keshubhai and paid their tributes.
Senior Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia and state Congress chief Amit Chavda also paid tributes to Keshubhai.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
