When Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his cabinet on Wednesday, 49-year-old Mansukh Mandaviya was not only elevated as a Union minister but also given the key portfolio of Health even as the country is still grappling with COVID-19 pandemic.
It was not a surprise that Modi trusted Mandaviya, who was born in Hanol village of Bhavnagar district in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, and gave him the all important portfolio in addition to the Chemicals and Fertilizers.
In fact, in one of the rallies held in Gujarat post 2005 when Modi was the chief minister, he had said that he could clearly see a bright future for Mandaviya. Modi had gone on to say—the clip of it is viral—that Mandaviya has patience and dedication.
The new health minister has taken out two yatras in Gujarat. In one of the yatras, Modi said that he was there to take the charanraj of Mandaviya because it is said that “you get blessings even by the touch of those who take out yatras or tapasya".
Mandaviya, who emerged as a low-profile minister of the state, has been doing things silently—both as a minister and as a party leader.
The point in case has been his work during the COVID-19 times, said a senior party leader from Gujarat, requesting anonymity. Mandaviya has been not only ensuring the availability of generic drugs, but also holding meetings with the industries concerned.
Sources said last week he visited Zydus Cadila, which is to come out with ZyCoV-D vaccine. The company has already applied for emergency use authorization.
Belonging to the Leuva Patidar community, Mandaviya played a very important role within and outside Gujarat in trying to see that tempers did not run high and the Patidar agitation led by Hardik Patel, now a Congress leader, did not succeed.
Beyond the Saurashtra region, he also has contacts in South Gujarat, where a sizable number of Patidars live.
Another senior BJP leader from Gujarat observed that in giving the health ministry to Mandaviya, Modi has made it clear that he is his man and is capable. This probably is also an indication of things to come in future, the party leader wondered.
In the last couple of years, there have been rumours that Mandaviya, a master’s degree holder in political science, was all set to replace Vijay Rupani as the chief minister of Gujarat.
Just one year before, the rumours were so strong that Mandaviya had to refute it by saying that there was nothing of that sort happening.
He was one of the youngest MLAs when he won assembly election after the post-Godhra riots in 2002 and now represents Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha.