Chimanbhai Patel

Chimanbhai Patel Biography

Chimanbhai Patel was a popular politician associated with Indian National Congress. One of the veteran politicians of state politics of Gujarat, he served as Chief Minister of Gujarat during the period 4 March 1990 – 17 February 1994 till his death. He was preceded by Ghanshyam Oza. He was the first Chief Minister of India to pass a bill for ban of cow slaughter apart from all sale of meat on all Hindu and Jain festival days. In fact Gujarat was the first Indian state to put a complete ban on beef. He died in office on 17 February 1994, aged 65. Several research and educational institutions like Shri Chimanbhai Patel Institute of Management & Research and Shri Chimanbhai Patel Institute of Business Administration are named after him. Till his last breathe he was fully engaged in political life – a person who was known - to eat, drink, think and breathe only one thing: politics.

He was born on 3 June 1929 in Chikodra village of Vadodara district, Gujarat. He got associated with politics in the late 1940s while as a student and got elected as the first president of student union of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara in 1950. He completed his Master’s degree in Economics from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. After staying active with politics, he got elected to state assembly for the first time in 1967. He got elected from Sankheda constituency and was induced to the cabinet ministry of Hitendra K Desai.

He was also a cabinet minister of Ghanshyam Oza. He became Chief Minister for the first time on 17 July 1973 and served the position till 9 February 1974. He was expelled from the party and he had to leave the office after being accused of corruptions. Later he became one among the leaders to form Janata Morcha which formed government in the leadership of Babubhai J Patel. When Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government was formed he was chosen as the Chief Minister. Though the coalition broke a few months later he was able to sustain power with the help of 34 legislatures of Indian National Congress. He joined INC once again and remained Chief Minister till his death. Even while confined to his bed in a hospital, he was giving the finishing touches to his strategy for the Rajya Sabha polls.

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Updated: January 18, 2016