Patel was diagnosed with dengue and was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Surat before his condition worsened and had to be airlifted to Mumbai for advanced treatment, party sources said. His health did not improve and he succumbed to dengue.
Condoling his death, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel tweeted, "Saddened by the unfortunate demise of our MLA from Surat Rajendra Patel. My condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace!"
Patel, a grass-root level politician, came through the rank and file of the party. He contested the village panchayat elections and won the polls and served as Sarpanch (village head) of Sultanabad, where he was born, from 1990 to 2000.
In 2012, the party fielded him from Choryasi Assembly constituency, a predominantly Patel-dominated seat, and won comfortably. His death has reduced the number of BJP MLAs in the state legislative Assembly to 118. Congress has 56 legislators in the 182-member state legislative Assembly.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
