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Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani resigned from his post on Saturday, 11 September.
BJP General Secretary BL Santosh-led meeting is underway in party headquarters in Ahmedabad. A new CM face is likely to be announced later in the day. Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patil and Union Minister for Health Mansukh Mandaviya – hinted to be frontrunners for the post – are also present at the meeting.
"Party observers have come (to Gandhinagar) and party will take decision on the name of new chief minister," added Rupani, after resignation.
The BJP leader had served as chief minister of the state since 7 August 2016.
The Assembly elections in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home, are scheduled to be held early next year.
"It is in the nature of the BJP to change the roles of karyakartas depending on the need of the party. Keeping in line with this, I resign as the CM and will take up whatever new role will be assigned to me," Rupani told the media.
He is the fourth BJP chief minister to resign in recent months. BS Yediyurappa had resigned as Chief Minister of Karnataka in July. Tirath Singh Rawat, who had replaced Trivendra Rawat as the CM of Uttarakhand, stepped down from his position after four months.
Sources told The Quint that three names – CR Patil and Nitin Patel, along with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya – are being considered to take over as chief minister of the state.
A member of Parliament, CR Patil won the Lok Sabha elections in both 2014 and 2019 from Gujarat's Navsari constituency.
Nitin Patel, on the other hand, is the deputy chief minister of the state. He holds a number of portfolios including finance, road and building, health and family welfare, medical education, among others.
Union Minister Mandaviya is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.
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