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Babubhai J Patel

Babubhai J Patel

Babubhai Jashbhai Patel was the chief minister of Gujarat state in India. He hold the office twice, first time from June 1975 to March 1976 as the leader of Janata Morcha and the second time from April 1977 to February 1980 as leader of Janata Party.

Early Life :  He was born on 9 February 1911 in Nadiad, Gujarat. He was a lawyer.[2] He joined Indian independence movement in 1930 when he was in a college. He went to jail seven times, till 1942.

Career :

He was a cabinet minister in Bombay state from 1952 to 1957. After formation of Gujarat, he was elected to Gujarat Legislative Assembly in 1967 and held several ministerial posts.

In 1974, Chimanbhai Patel resigned from the post of Chief Minister due to Nav Nirman movement and assembly was dissolved. Later when election was held, he became the Chief Minister of the first non-Congress government of Gujarat on 18 June 1975. He led the coalition of parties known as Janata Morcha. After a week, emergency was imposed by Indira Gandhi but he continued till March 1976. He again became CM leading Janata Party from 1977 to 1980. He shifted his cabinet to Morbi for six months during 1979 Machchhu dam failure disaster. He became a cabinet minister who headed Sardar Sarovar Dam project in Chimanbhai Patel government in early 1990s.

He died on 19 December 2002 at Gandhinagar