Profile: Saurabh Patel

Saurabh Patel, Minister of State for Finance, Industry

One of Modi's few confidants, Patel was among few candidates who was allowed to change his constituency because of changed demographic equations in Botad.

Gujarat Assembly Elections D-day

This time, he moved to his own Patel community dominated seat of Akota in Baroda. He runs a chemical trading business and is the key liaison man between the state government and the party. He won Modi over when he successfully privatised the Gujarat Electricity Board. Modi's controversial NaMo Gujarat cable and IPTV project was directly handled by him.

There is a group that believes Saurabh Patel might also succeed Modi should he move to the national scene though he does not enjoy the same proximity as Revenu Minister Anandiben Patel. This 54-year-old is a power centre nevertheless and has held portfolios like, finance, petrochemicals, energy, industries, minerals and civil aviation. He has an MBA degree from the US. He has been a vocal critic of the chief minister's rivals, recently standing up to his defence when Arvind Kejriwal shot a few allegations at Modi.

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