ET BureauWhen Anandiben Patel, Narendra Modi’s trusted lieutenant, announced her resignation as Gujarat chief minister earlier this year, she said she was vacating the chair in keeping with the age limit of 75 years set by the BJP leadership for politicians. As she turned 75 on Monday, Patel is far from slowing down. She talks to Economic Times on the works that made her happy, her regrets and the journey. Edited excerpts:
What are you doing these days?
Working. Working with my constituency, meeting with the workers, travelling in rural areas. Also, go where people call me. So, you are not detached from politics? No, nothing like that. I am also active in politics. I attend the state executive, national executive, district, city executive meetings.
When Narendra Modi left Gujarat, he left a legacy of development. What in your opinion is Anandiben’s legacy?
Narendrabhai has done so much. Even I did so many things... All that I have done for women, children and farmers, which made me so happy, I cannot say out of all these this one was good or that one was good. The operations for children, work done for the empowerment of women made me happy. I did a few things for the farmers... In totality, I focussed on HDI (Human Development Index). I concentrated on education, health and finance.
Any regrets?
Whatever work remained pending, there is always this feeling that these we could have been taken forward. Like, the work on the canals of Narmada. Fifty percent of work was completed in my tenure. I feel that had I tried a little harder, we could have finished cent percent of that work. The farmers would have benefitted.
Any plan to contest election next year?
That decision is to be made by the party.
What is your take on demonetisation?
I support sahab (Modi). No one (else) can take such a decision. This is for the good of the country. There are such terrorist activities going on, where is the money coming from? ...How much (fake) currencies are being printed? This is damaging the economy. This should have been done and Narendrabhai has done a splendid job.
What are you doing these days?
Working. Working with my constituency, meeting with the workers, travelling in rural areas. Also, go where people call me. So, you are not detached from politics? No, nothing like that. I am also active in politics. I attend the state executive, national executive, district, city executive meetings.
When Narendra Modi left Gujarat, he left a legacy of development. What in your opinion is Anandiben’s legacy?
Narendrabhai has done so much. Even I did so many things... All that I have done for women, children and farmers, which made me so happy, I cannot say out of all these this one was good or that one was good. The operations for children, work done for the empowerment of women made me happy. I did a few things for the farmers... In totality, I focussed on HDI (Human Development Index). I concentrated on education, health and finance.
Any regrets?
Whatever work remained pending, there is always this feeling that these we could have been taken forward. Like, the work on the canals of Narmada. Fifty percent of work was completed in my tenure. I feel that had I tried a little harder, we could have finished cent percent of that work. The farmers would have benefitted.
Any plan to contest election next year?
That decision is to be made by the party.
What is your take on demonetisation?
I support sahab (Modi). No one (else) can take such a decision. This is for the good of the country. There are such terrorist activities going on, where is the money coming from? ...How much (fake) currencies are being printed? This is damaging the economy. This should have been done and Narendrabhai has done a splendid job.
Get Unlimited Access to The Economic Times
