Congress links Anandiben Patel's resignation to outrage against Dalits

The Congress on Monday rubbished Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel's 'age' reason behind her resignation and said that the recent Dalit outrage in the state has pushed the latter to step down from the coveted post.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhary said, "It is very sudden, she is talking of her age out of the blue. I don't think that age factor is the reason behind her resignation. I think she has tendered her resignation because of the recent Dalit outrage in the state."

"She is just trying to evade the damage. Lets us see what does Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to say in this regard, will he accept her resignation or not?" he added.

Patel earlier today submitted her resignation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top brass asserting that the saffron party needs a fresh face in the state.

Patel, who took charge as Gujarat's first woman chief minister after Narendra Modi took charge as the Prime Minister, citing age issues had in her Facebook post earlier urged the BJP to relieve her from the coveted post.

Patel said that she had two months earlier sought to resign from the party to give "enough time to the new incumbent to prepare for important events like the upcoming 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit'.

Her government was criticised for its handling of the outrage created by the public flogging of four Dalit men by self-styled cow protection groups.