Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India project might be working better than he expected: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Monday took to Twitter and Facebook to announce that she was offering her resignation. The resignation hasn't been accepted yet, with Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah saying it will be considered by the Parliamentary Board, but Patel's decision to announce it publicly via social media is yet another sign of just how radically the internet has altered our relationship with elected officials.
What a plug this for @facebook Probably the first time an elected leader, that too of a state of 60-million, uses this medium to resign
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) August 1, 2016
Patel's decision doesn't come entirely as a surprise. The chief minister, who replaced Narendra Modi in the post after he became prime minister in 2014, has been embattled for some time, first dealing with protests by the Patidar community and, more recently, agitation by Gujarat's Dalits who have come together for the first time in three decades.
Her post on Facebook cites another reason altogether. Patel indicates that she wanted to quit before breaching the 75-year mark, an informal age limit that Modi set for his top leadership although it does not apply to politically sensitive leaders.
Anandiben 75 is new 35, Learn from me. pic.twitter.com/R8jEJDTT0Q
— TheFrustratedIndian (@FrustIndian) August 1, 2016
Doubly interesting is the use of Facebook and Twitter to make this announcement. Technically speaking, the resignation is an inter-party matter that, as Shah said, will be taken up by the Parliamentary board. Patel is clearly signalling something by taking her offer-of-resignation – remember it has not been accepted yet – to the public, directly by posting on social media.
Why did Anandiben Patel resign on Facebook? Can she not contact Modiji directly?
— Ankita Dhandharia (@_ankitaa_) August 1, 2016
There have been questions for sometime now over Patel's level of comfort with the BJP top leadership, especially after stories emerged earlier in the year that suggested her children were allegedly benefiting from her senior position.
None of that made it into the resignation letter itself however. The decision is also significant because elections are due in the state next year, prompting another Twitter-happy chief minister to take credit for Patel's decision.
आनंदी जी का इस्तीफ़ा गुजरात में "आप" की भ्रष्टाचार के ख़िलाफ़ लड़ाई की जीत है। https://t.co/4z6aXyZIib
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 1, 2016
"Anandibenji's resignation is a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party's campaign against corruption," said Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi.
Meanwhile, the rest of social media was rather gleeful about the fact that Patel used their medium to announce her resignation – a trend that's becoming rather common these days, although not so much for public officials.
Now time for Facebook to incorporate a Resign Button 😀 @bainjal
— Ejaz Ahmad (@ahmadejazz) August 1, 2016
Now all the Governor has to do is go this post and comment - I accept 😁😁https://t.co/u6MERkXOLt
— detroitkaaran (@detroitkaaran) August 1, 2016
Anandiben Patel offers to resign in Facebook post. It'd be so much fun if BJP leadership accepts it by "liking" her post.
— Parth MN (@parthpunter) August 1, 2016
Modi ji successful in #DigitalIndia as @anandibenpatel offers to resign through facebook 😜
— vandana sharma (@IndiaTv24) August 1, 2016
New trend: resign via Facebook. Next - take oath of office via Twitter. Cabinet meeting- whatsapp 😃 https://t.co/h6PepeusEJ
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) August 1, 2016
Will wait for someone to snapchat their resignation. Easy to take it back also. https://t.co/NOgPJVXrGe
— Vijay Nair (@vijay_nair) August 1, 2016