As Vijay Rupani resigns, CR Paatil, Nitin Patel among frontrunners for CM post
Gujarat Cabinet minister RC Faldu, Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil, state BJP vice president Gordhan Zadafia are some of the contenders for the top post in the state.
The BJP leadership has not yet commented on Vijay Rupani's sudden resignation but reports said that the process of announcing Rupani's successor ahead of the assembly election next year is already on and the frontrunners are deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, state Cabinet minister RC Faldu, Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil, state BJP vice president Gordhan Zadafia.
Though the resignation that Rupani submitted to the governor on Saturday comes as unexpected, the change of guard in BJP-rules states ahead of elections is not new as this is the fourth resignation of a chief minister this year, following Uttarkhand's Trivendra Singh Rawat, Tirath Singh Rawat and Karnataka's BS Yeddyurappa.
"People of Gujarat would have appreciated has Mr Rupani resigned for his monumental mismanagement of Covid crisis. This resignation comes purely to take care of electoral assembly polls in mind," Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani tweeted.
Here is a look at the frontrunners
Nitin Patel is currently serving as the deputy chief minister of Gujarat. He is also the minister of finance, health, medical education among others.
Mansukh Mandaviya belongs to the Leuva Patel community of Bhavnagar and is the Union health minister. He is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat
RC Faldu was the former president of the state BJP unit and is the present Cabinet minister of agriculture, rural development and transport.
CR Paatil is the present chief of the state BJP unit. He represents Navsari in the Lok Sabha.
Gordhan Zadafia is a Gujarat BJP leader with roots in the Vishva Hindu Parishad.
While there was a buzz regarding Uttarakhand and Karnataka, the party did not drop any hint regarding the removal of Vijay Rupani. Reports said Union home minister Amit Shah will reach Gujarat on Saturday night while the state party leadership has already met the MLAs.
“The journey of Gujarat’s development should be moved under new leadership that’s why I have resigned. Will perform the new role assigned by the party. In the last 5 years. I have got full support and cooperation of people during elections and by-elections," Rupani said.
