As Modi gets busy for 2014, his aides run Gujarat show

, July 19: As

Chief Minister gets busier with his Mission 2014 as the chief of the BJP's election campaign committee, his close aides have found themselves engaged with running the show in Gujarat.

Finance minister Nitin Patel, who is the official number two in the Gujarat cabinet, and revenue minister Anandiben Patel are in control although reports said it is the latter who has a bigger influence on the state administration in the absence of Modi. In the past, she had carried out the duty with Amit Shah, another leader from the Gujarat who has found himself busy with the party's national mission, when Modi was out of the state.

With Shah also joining Modi, a new power structure has evolved in the state cabinet comprising Anandiben, Patel and Saurabh Patel, the petroleum and energy minister. Besides the troika, Kuniyil Kailashnathan, the former additional chief secretary in the chief minister's office, has also been taken on board. Kailashnathan is known to be close to Modi and served as the letter's principal secretary for two years. He retired in May.

Sources in the Gujarat government said a deputy chief minister could be appointed when Modi gets more busy with his national mission.

OneIndia News