Gujarat CM Rupani’s Council of Ministers: From Millionaires to Those Having Criminal Background

After a bruising election campaign and a slim victory that was widely seen as more of a defeat, a new BJP govt. headed by outgoing CM Vijay Rupani and his 20 ministers was sworn in on Tuesday in Gujarat. Among those becoming ministers, 18 are crorepatis (millionaires), three face criminal cases against them and nine are high school drop-outs, an ADR analysis reported. The new Council of Ministers has nine Cabinet ministers and 10 ministers of state (MoS).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed a government in Gujarat for the sixth straight term after winning 99 seats in the 182-member state assembly. Putting up a creditable performance, the Congress won 77 seats – highest tally in the state since 1985.

According to an analysis of affidavits of the new ministers by ADR, Saurabh Yashvantbhai Dalal Patel, winner from Botad constituency has declared highest assets worth Rs 123.78 crore.

He is followed by Parsotambhai Odhavjibhai Solanki (from Bhavnagar rural) and Radadiya Jayeshbhai Vitthalbhai (from Jetpur) who have declared total assets worth Rs 45 crore and Rs 28 crore respectively.

The minister with the lowest declared assets is Khabad Bachubhai Maganbhai from Devgadhbaria constituency, with declared assets of Rs 35.45 lakhs.

The average assets of the 20-member council of ministers led by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani stand at Rs 13.34 crore.

Three of the ministers, says the ADR report that is based on the self-sworn affidavits of the 20 ministers, have declared criminal cases against them.

Solanki has highest number of criminal cases against him that include a charge related to cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (IPC Section-420), charge related to forgery of valuable security, will, etc. (IPC Section-467), charge related to fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security (IPC Section-477), charge related to cheating by personation (IPC Section-419) and charge related to forgery (IPC Section-465). Three cases against him are registered under serious IPC sections.

He is followed by Vitthalbhai from Jetpur constituency in Rajkot district against whom a charge related to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means (IPC Section-324), charge related to intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace (IPC Section-504) and charge related to abettor present when offence is committed (IPC Section-114) are registered. One case against him has been registered under serious section of the IPC.

Pradipsinh Bhagvatsinh Jadeja, who represents Vatva constituency in Ahmedabad, has only one case registered against him and that is not of serious nature.

The newly appointed Gujarat cabinet has only one woman minister – Vibhavariben Dave, who is a three-time MLA from Bhavnagar East constituency of Bhavnagar district.

A total of 9 (or 45 per cent) ministers have declared their educational qualification to be between Class V and XII pass, while 10 (or 50 percent) are graduates or have higher degrees. One minister has declared his education as ‘Diploma in Electrical Engineering’.

A total of 3 (or 15 per cent) ministers have declared their age to be between 31-50 years, while 17 (or 85 per cent) ministers have declared their age to be between 51-70 years.