Soon after Vijay Rupani tendered his resignation as the chief minister of Gujarat, certain names have been doing rounds to fill the post. The names of Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel, state agriculture minister R C Faldu and Union ministers Purshottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya are doing the rounds amid speculation over who will succeed Rupani as CM. CR Paatil, Gujarat BJP president and Navsari MP is one of the names which is in the tentative CM list.
However, Paatil while opening up on the matter today clarified, "there are a lot of names in the media for the new Chief Minister, including mine." "I want to make it clear that I am not in any such race."
"Together with Vijay Rupani and the new Chief Minister appointed by the party, we will achieve our target of winning 182 out of 182 seats in the next assembly elections and work to strengthen the party," said the state Bharatiya Janata Party chief.
In a shocking development in politics of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani resigned from the post, his sudden announcement coming over a year before the state goes to polls. Rupani (65), the fourth chief minister to demit office in BJP-ruled states during the coronavirus pandemic, was sworn in as chief minister - his second stint as CM - in December 2017.
Rupani and state cabinet colleagues met the governor and submitted their resignations.
Asked about reasons for his resignation, Rupani said, "In BJP, it is like a relay race for party workers. One gives the baton to the other." On who will be the next chief minister, Rupani said that the party will decide about it.
He denied that he had any differences with state BJP president C R Paatil.
He first became the chief minister on August 7, 2016, following the resignation of incumbent Anandiben Patel, and continued in the office after the BJP's victory in the 2017 Assembly elections. Rupani, who completed five years in office on August 7 this year, was present at the inauguration on Saturday of Sardardham Bhavan where Modi was present virtually.
It is impossible to say who will be the chief minister as the decision will be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a party leader said.
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