Keshubhai Patel
Encyclopedia
Keshubhai Patel was Chief Minister of the Western State of Gujarat in India
from March 1995 to October 1995 and from March 1998 to October 2001. He is a senior Bharatiya Janata Party
leader in the state.
He hails from the electorally significant Patel
community which holds the key to government formations in Gujarat.
In 2001, his party lost two key bye-elections which led to the arrival of Narendra Modi
in Gujarat as CM. Since then he has been unhappy and has called for revolt.
In the 2007 State Elections, he urged his community to vote for change. He blessed the Congress Party
and did not even cast his vote. But the result was a complete shock as Modi won a convincing victory with the party faring better in Patel's bastion of Saurashtra, indicating his loss of support even among his own people. His party served him a show cause notice for anti-party activities to which he is yet to reply.
On September 21, 2006 Keshubhai's wife Leela Behn Patel died in their home in Ahmedabad
after an electrical fire broke out in the house's exercise room. Keshubhai Patel was also a Rajya Sabha MP but has now retired from active politics.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from March 1995 to October 1995 and from March 1998 to October 2001. He is a senior Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
leader in the state.
He hails from the electorally significant Patel
Patel
Patel is a surname of Indian origin, originally meaning "headman" or"village chief". Patels are socially, economically and politically the most dominant caste in Gujarat Patels are basically Kurmis or Kunbis and are found in various geographical locations. The Kunbi are an Indian subcaste...
community which holds the key to government formations in Gujarat.
In 2001, his party lost two key bye-elections which led to the arrival of Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.He was born in a middle class family in Vadnagar; and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, as also an active politician since early in life. He holds a masters degree in political...
in Gujarat as CM. Since then he has been unhappy and has called for revolt.
In the 2007 State Elections, he urged his community to vote for change. He blessed the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and did not even cast his vote. But the result was a complete shock as Modi won a convincing victory with the party faring better in Patel's bastion of Saurashtra, indicating his loss of support even among his own people. His party served him a show cause notice for anti-party activities to which he is yet to reply.
On September 21, 2006 Keshubhai's wife Leela Behn Patel died in their home in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
after an electrical fire broke out in the house's exercise room. Keshubhai Patel was also a Rajya Sabha MP but has now retired from active politics.