Chimanbhai Patel
Chimanbhai Patel (3 June 1929 – 17 February 1994) was an Indian politician associated with Indian National Congress and Janata Dal, and a former Chief Minister of Gujarat state in India representing both those parties at various times.
Chimanbhai Patel | |
|---|---|
| 5th Chief Minister of Gujarat | |
| In office 18 July 1973 – 9 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Ghanshyam Oza |
| Succeeded by | President's rule |
| Constituency | Sankheda |
| In office 4 March 1990 – 17 February 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Madhavsinh Solanki |
| Succeeded by | Chhabildas Mehta |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 June 1929 Sankheda, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Died | 17 February 1994 (aged 64) Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Urmila Patel |
| Children | Siddharth Patel, Suhrud Patel, Sujata Patel |
| Residence | Revaranya, Ahmedabad |
Born and Education
He was born on 3 June 1929 in Chikodra village of Sankheda Tehsil in Vadodara district. He was elected the first president of student union of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara in 1950. He has completed his Masters in Economics from that Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
Political career
He was elected to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from Sankheda in 1967 and joined the Cabinet of Hitendra K Desai. He also became the minister in the Cabinet of Ghanshyam Oza. In 1972, he won again from Sankheda, and became Chief Minister soon later. In 1975 he lost from Jetpur himself, but his new party KLP won 11 seats and helped Babubhai Patel of Janata Morcha form government. In 1990, he was elected to Gujarat Vidhan Sabha as a Janata Dal candidate from Unjha, and was appointed CM.
Chief Minister
On 17 July 1973, he replaced Ghanshyam Oza as the Chief minister of Gujarat. He served in that office till 9 February 1974. Chimanbhai Patel was forced out of office in the 1974 by the Nav Nirman movement on charges of corruption. After being expelled from the party, he helped in the formation of Janata Morcha government in the leadership of Babubhai J Patel. He again became the chief minister on 4 March 1990 heading Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government. On breaking of the coalition on 25 October 1990, he managed to retain his post with the help of 34 legislatures of Indian National Congress (INC). Later he joined INC and continued till his death on 17 February 1994.
He is the first Chief Minister who ushered development of ports of Gujarat, refineries and power plants by private parties as part of his industrialization master plan of Gujarat. During his second term he was the first Chief Minister of India to pass a bill for ban of cow slaughter and all sale of meat on all Hindu and Jain festival days.[1] He died in office on 17 February 1994, aged 65.
References
Further reading
- Pulse of the people
- Conference on State Politics in India in the 1990s: Political Mobilisation and Political Competition, December 2004
| Preceded by Ghanshyambhai C. Oza |
Chief Minister of Gujarat 18 July 1973 – 9 February 1974 |
Succeeded by Shri Babubhai J. Patel |
| Preceded by Madhavsinh Solanki |
Chief Minister of Gujarat 4 March 1990 – 17 February 1994 |
Succeeded by Chhabildas Mehta |