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'September blues' hit Gujarat again

The six-month-old Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat experienced the 'September blues' once again today when Industry Minister Suresh Mehta resigned from his post. But, in a bid to avert any possible crisis, Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, refused to accept his resignation.

In September 1995, Shankarsinh Vaghela had revolted following which Mehta was made the chief minister, as a compromise candidate, replacing Patel.

A year later, Vaghela and his supporters quit the BJP to form the Rashtriya Janata Party government with the Congress support.

During this period, Mehta was leader of the Opposition.

Again, in September last year, Vaghela was replaced by Dilip Parikh as a compromise candidate between the RJP and the Congress. Keshubhai Patel returned as chief minister when the BJP won 117 seats in a 182-member assembly.

UNI

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