Bhupendra Patel to be the new Chief Minister of Gujarat; succeeds BJP's Vijay Rupani

A day after Vijay Rupani tendered his resignation as CM, Bhupendra Patel on Sunday was appointed as the new Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat. The decision to appoint Bhupendra Patel was taken in the legislative meeting, called by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Gujarat party headquarters in Gandhinagar. Before the legislative meet, multiple meetings were held between Saturday and Sunday among the core members of the party.

Bhupendra Patel new Gujarat CM

Addressing the press conference after the meeting, Union Minister Narendra Tomar announced the name of  Bhupendra Patel as the new CM of Gujarat. He said, " Pralhad Joshi and I were given responsibility to appoint the new CM. We came here and held discussions with the MLAs, and Vijay Rupani came up with Bhupendra Patel's name.  Bhupendra Patel is the new CM of Gujarat."

Bhupendra Patel is the MLA of Gharlodia, and is believed to be a close aide of former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel. Besides Bhupendra Patel, Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya & Purshottam Rupala, and Gujarat ministers Nitin Patel, RC Faldu, were being considered by the BJP to replace Vijay Rupani as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The Change in Chief Minister of the state comes in the lead up to the 2022 assembly elections.  

Vijay Rupani resigns 

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday tendered his resignation to the state's Governor Acharya Devvraj. After meeting the Governor, addressing a press conference at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, Vijay Rupani confirmed the news. "I am resigning from my chief ministerial post," said Rupani, while thanking the BJP for giving him the opportunity.  

'I am just a worker of the organization." Vijay Rupani, said adding that the specialty of BJP is that the responsibility of party workers keeps changing from time to time. "Whatever responsibility I get from the party, I'm ready to fulfill it under the guidance of PM Modi and the party president," he stated.

Vijay Rupani took the state's Chief Ministerial position on August 7, 2016, succeeding Anandiben Patel, who had, in turn, succeeded Narendra Modi when he moved to Delhi to be Prime Minister in 2014 after 13 years as Chief Minister of Gujarat.