Hardik Patel advises 'unhappy' Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel to quit Cabinet, join Congress

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is reportedly miffed with the portfolios allocated to him.

Hardik Patel, Nitin Patel and Vijay Rupani

AHMEDABAD: Just days after assuming charge as Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister, Nitin Patel is miffed with the portfolios allocated to him. He has reportedly voiced his displeasure to the party leadership over the departments allotted to him.

Advising Nitin Patel to quit the Cabinet, Patidar leader Hardik Patel asked the deputy leader to instead join Congress. "If Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel along with 10 MLAs is ready to leave BJP, then will talk to Congress to get him a good position. If BJP does not respect him, he should leave the party, Hardik said on Saturday.

In the previous government, Nitin Patel used to handle important portfolios like finance and urban development. In the current Cabinet though, he has been allotted charge of departments like road and building, and health.

Apart from these two, he has also given the charge of medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital project after the portfolios were allotted on December 28.

The finance portfolio has been allotted to Saurabh Patel, while Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has kept the charge of urban development department with himself.

Rupani, however, had downplayed reports of his displeasure. "It is not true that the minister who has finance portfolio is number two in the cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain number two," Rupani had said.