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After Vijay Rupani steps down, senior BJP leaders to meet today
Vijay Rupani met Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and submitted his resignation as the chief minister. His resignation came ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2023.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Pralhad Joshi, reached Gujarat on Sunday to attend a legislative party meeting to choose the successor of chief minister Vijay Rupani, who stepped down from the top post in the state ahead of the assembly elections in 2023. “BJP Gujarat legislative party meet to be held at 3pm. Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Pralhad Joshi and BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh will conduct the meeting to elect our new chief minister,” Yamal Vyas, spokesperson of the state BJP, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"We have come here to hold further discussions (over the name of next chief minister of Gujarat). We will hold discussions with the state President and other senior leaders," Tomar told reporters at the airport in Ahmedabad, according to ANI.
Tomar was accompanied to Gujarat by Bharatiya Janata Party national general secretary Tarun Chugh. “I will hold consultations with Gujarat leaders. Then the central leadership will take a decision,” Union minister of parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi was quoted as saying by ANI.
Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, state general secretary Gordhan Zadafia and Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu administrator Praful Khoda Patel are being considered as possible choices for new chief minister.
Also read | Caste and Covid-19, the two reasons for Vijay Rupani’s ouster
Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil on Saturday issued a video saying he is not in the race for the chief minister's post. "Vijay Rupani has resigned from his post today. Naturally, there are a lot of names in the media for the new Chief Minister, including my name. I want to make it clear that I am not in any such race,” Paatil said. “Together with the new chief minister appointed by the party and Vijay Rupani, we will achieve our target of winning 182 out of 182 seats in the next assembly elections and work to strengthen the party,” he added.
Rupani on Saturday met Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and submitted his resignation as the chief minister. His resignation came ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2023. After Vijay Rupani’s resignation, senior Gujarat BJP leaders met at the party office Gandhinagar. Union health minister Mandaviya, Nitin Patel, CR Paatil and Rupani were among those who attended the meeting.
Also read | 'CM stands for Chairs Musical': Trinamool, AAP, Cong react to Rupani's exit
Several BJP leaders his response to Covid-19 and his caste played a role in the 65-years old Rupani’s replacement. They said the way Rupani, who is a Jain, handled the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and his failure to build cohesive political support for the BJP were key determinants in the decision. The BJP still faces challenges from the Patidars, a community with immense political power that can swing the electoral outcome.
Rupani, who represents Rajkot West in the state assembly, took charge as the Gujarat chief minister on August 7, 2016, to replace Anandiben Patel following the Patidar agitation for reservation. In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP won 99 of the state's 182 assembly seats and the Congress got 77 seats.
