Gujarat CM faces local BJP snub

BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha receives Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel at city airport on Thursday

AS he landed at Mumbai airport on his maiden visit to the city after becoming the chief minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel was received by just a handful of BJP leaders on Thursday. Patel had come to the city to promote the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. As Gujarat chief minister, when Narendra Modi had visited Mumbai for the same purpose, he had been received by several BJP leaders and industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

Sources said Patel was received by BJP Mumbai president Mangal Prabhat Lodha and a few others. A BJP worker who was present at the airport told mid-day, "The party should have arranged a welcome programme for him as he has come to Mumbai for the first time after becoming the Gujarat CM. I think the Gujarat government didn't share any information about his visit."

Lodha said, "I went to the airport to receive him. Due to his busy schedule and less time, we could not arrange any welcome programme for him but after January we will arrange one for him in Mumbai." In the city, Patel visited the Siddhivinayak temple and went to the Bombay Stock Exchange. His visit to Mumbai after January 15, as shared by Lodha, is seen as a carefully crafted plan of his party ahead of the BMC election.

Gujarat Education Minister and government spokesperson Jitubhai Waghami told mid-day, "I can't speak over the phone as I don't trust on calls. Meet me."

Gujarati BJP president Gamal Vyas said since it was an official visit, his office might not have been keen to inform too many people. Mumbai BJP legislator Ashish Shelar refused to comment on the development. Instead, he asked this correspondent to speak to the party's state and city presidents.