Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani on Saturday said Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's resignation was "purely to take care of electoral arithmetic" ahead of the Assembly elections in the state in December next year. The Independent MLA said people would have appreciated Rupani resignation for his "monumental mismanagement of Covid crisis".
Taking to Twitter, Mevani wrote, "Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani resigns: People of Gujarat would have appreciated had Mr. Rupani resigned for his monumental mismanagement of Covid crisis." "This resignation comes purely to take care of electoral arithmetic keeping 2022 assembly polls in mind," he added.
Meanwhile, speaking to news agency ANI, former Governor of Karnakata and senior BJP leader from Gujarat Vajubhai Vala said Vijay Rupani's resignation did not come as a surprise to him as the roles of the workers within the party keep changing.
"The resignation of Chief Minister was not a surprise as the people in the party keep meeting and their roles are decided according to the requirement of the party. When Anandiben Patel resigned, then also there was no particular reason for it," he said.
The BJP leader said the party has not decided who will be the new Chief Minister of Gujarat. "No name has been finalised yet. The new Chief Minister will be decided after the meeting of MLAs. That is a parliamentary procedure and the party will follow it," he said.
Vala said Rupani's resignation would not affect the party's performance in the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat. "People vote the party on the basis of the work it did. BJP has worked for the people and in the next election, people will elect BJP only," said the senior leader.
Earlier in the day, in a sudden development, Rupani resigned from the post of chief minister.
"I have resigned as chief minister of Gujarat," Rupani told reporters after meeting Governor Acharya Devvrat and submitting his resignation letter. "I was allowed to serve the state for five years. I have contributed to the development of the state. I will further do whatever is asked by my party," Rupani said.
"In BJP, there has been a tradition that responsibilities of party workers change from time to time. I will be ready to take whatever responsibility that the party will give me in the future," Rupani said. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a common worker like me this opportunity to serve the people of the state as chief minister," he added.
When asked about the reason for his resignation, Rupani said, "In BJP, it is like a relay race for party workers. One gives the baton to the other."
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
