GANDHINAGAR: On a day’s visit to Gujarat, which goes to polls later this year, BJP president J P Nadda said that the state is a “laboratory” for his party for matters pertaining to governance and party organization.
“Gujarat is a laboratory of governance and party organization (for the BJP). We will implement this model across the country. As a party chief, it is also my responsibility to take this model ahead,” he told reporters during a press conference at Kamalam, the state BJP HQ.
In a surprise move, which created ripples across the political spectrum, the BJP high command had replaced ex-CM Vijay Rupani and his entire cabinet with a new set of ministers led by first-time MLA Bhupendra Patel as the CM in September last year. Nadda said this “experiment” was part of the BJP’s strategy. Last year, national leaders had said that this “experiment” is expected to be replicated by the BJP in other parts of the country as well.
“See, it’s a laboratory. Otherwise, which party would have dared to do that (replace the entire cabinet). It was part of our strategy and it cannot be discussed in public. Let us decide what experiment is needed for what purpose,” said Nadda when asked about the reason for Rupani cabinet’s exit in September 2021.
Successful “experiments” to develop the party and make it a “medium of change” were carried out in Gujarat when Narendra Modi was a party office-bearer and later the chief minister, he added. “Modi ji created a development model in Gujarat. At the national level, we are now seeing the reflection of that experiment,” said Nadda.
Later, addressing party office bearers – from taluka level to state level – MLAs and MPs in Ahmedabad, the party chief said PM Modi’s politics based on development has given a tough fight to the politics based on caste, community, region and dynasty.
