AHMEDABAD: In a significant statement at the Gujarat BJP's 'Brihad Karobari' (extended executive) meeting on Friday, state BJP president CR Patil expressed his desire to step down from his role. Patil cited the party's 'one person, one post' rule.
On July 4 and 5, the BJP Gujarat held an extended executive meeting at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Salangpur, in Botad district, chaired by Regional President CR Patil.
On the second day, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister Mansukh Mandviya, Union Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya, State Organization General Secretary Ratnakar, State General Secretary Rajni Patel, and over 1,300 BJP office bearers down to the Mandal (tehsil) level attended the session.
To ensure a focused discussion, all mobile phones of the attendees were silenced and set aside.
State President Patil addressed the workers, saying, "Release me from the responsibility of the president. I have requested the high command and also conveyed my feelings to the party workers. Let another leader take on this responsibility, someone who will unite everyone and further the party's success."
In his address, state president CR Patil said, “We have to make efforts in the upcoming Panchayat and Municipal elections where we have booths minus in the Lok Sabha elections. We have to bring good results in the local elections. Sorry if anyone felt wronged during my tenure. I apologize if anyone didn't get a ticket during my tenure. We should not give any post to the incumbent who has a minus booth."
State president CR Patil also stated in the executive meeting, "No post can be given to those who cannot get their booth plus. We might have some loopholes due to which we lose a seat in Loksabha."
"We lost the Banaskantha seat by 30 thousand votes. I accept responsibility for this defeat and apologize to everyone for not being able to win Banaskantha. We must be vigilant to ensure we do not lose any seat in future," Patil added.