Worried PM "urgently summons" ex-Gujarat CM Anandiben following BJP's flop show at Surat Patidar meet

Anandiben Patel at Surat BJP meet

By Darshan Desai
The shocker that the Gujarat BJP received in presence of party president Amit Shah in Surat on Thursday night, when its first attempt to grapple with the agitating Patidars came a cropper, has led to a worried Prime Minister Narendra Modi urgently summon ousted Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel to Delhi.
Anandiben, who had to unceremoniously go just over a month ago, left in a private plane on the call of the prime minister for an urgent meeting, sources close to the development revealed.
Anandiben was present on the dais when young Patidars disrupted a rally that was billed to be the party’s show of Patel strength, forcing Amit Shah, chief minister Vipay Rupani and state BJP president Jitu Vaghani cut short their speeches to minutes. Such a show of protest is unusual for the BJP in Gujarat.
The ‘rajasva samaroh’ or royal felicitation of Patel legislators was organized by top real estate developers and diamond merchants of Surat to express the community’s confidence in the BJP government, and also to send out a message to the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) led by 23-year-old Hardik Patel that the Patidars had returned to the BJP.

The show of strength, according to reliable sources, was the brainchild of Amit Shah.
The state government had pulled out all stops to make the function a success. But it all came a cropper following ruckus at the meeting with Shah, chief minister Rupani, Jitu Vaghani and union minister Parshottam Rupala to cut short their speeches and make a hurried exit.

Amit Shah at Surat BJP meet

The police caned the mobs and burst teargas shells to quell rioting protestors. Among those watching the proceedings was former chief minister Anandiben along with other Patel legislators of the party.
Anandiben had quit just over a month ago, ostensibly for the inability of her government to ‘tackle’ the Patidar and later the Dalit agitation. The coup of her ouster and replacement with a novice minister of her cabinet, who had only a few months ago been made state party chief, was attributed to Amit Shah.
Vijay Rupani is Amit Shah’s protégé and Gujarat; for all practical purposes, Gujarat is now seen as under Shah’s proxy rule.
All through Narendra Modi’s over 12-year-long rule of the state, Anandiben and Amit Shah were considered his closest confidantes, but both remained daggers drawn. Even as Modi moved to Delhi to take over as prime minister, he ensured the chief ministership for Patel and the national party’s presidentship for Shah.
But that did not reduce their political rivalry. Even their supporters have remained at loggerheads.
Even after the change of guard in Gujarat, those considered close to Anandiben, whether politicians or civil servants, are in the process of being edged out. This has reportedly angered Anandiben and is not expected to let go any chance to get even with her political detractors within the party.

Patel agitators at Surat meet

Sources close to her claim it is with this in mind that she has so far turned down offers of other good placements including those as Governor.
The setback at Thursday night’s Surat event is cause for her to smirk. It was the turn of Shah to face the heat. A former home minister, Shah had ensured massive police presence at Surat. Two Inspector Generals of Police, one DIG, six DCPs, 13 ACPs, 29 inspectors, 70 police sub-inspectors, besides 2,000 policemen. But this could not deter the PAAS supporters.
The function was an issue of prestige and a target of one lakh audience was set, but over 15,000 turned up. The episode is an indicator that the BJP has a problem at hands in terms of a major vote bank which cannot be wished away.
Also that the damaging charges being leveled against Hardik Patel recently of bungling of PAAS funds and autocratic behaviour, through some of his supporters, have not dented his popularity. The PAAS, in turn, has got a shot in the arm.

Comments

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

Search This Blog