Bhupendra Patel, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the Ghatlodiya constituency, has been chosen as the new chief minister of Gujarat.
He has been elected as the new leader of the BJP Legislative Party, Union Minister and party leader Narendra Singh Tomar said on Sunday, 12 September after BJP's core committee meeting concluded at Kamalam, ANI reported.
Tomar further added that Patel will be sworn in as chief minister soon.
Meanwhile, in a press conference held on Sunday, state BJP Chief CR Patil said that Patel will take oath on Monday, 13 September.
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Joshi had reached the state on Sunday, as the BJP central observers, to "hold further discussions (over the name of next chief minister of Gujarat)."
Reacting to the development, Joshi, lauding the decision, said that the election has been "unanimous".
Former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had resigned from his post on Saturday, saying that he had conveyed his wishes to "work in party organisation under the leadership of prime minister and under the guidance of BJP chief".
Patel Thanks PM Modi, JP Nadda, Vijay Rupani
Soon after the announcement, Bhupendra Patel thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda and erstwhile chief minister Vijay Rupani for showing faith in him.
"First of all, I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JP Nadda and Amit Shah from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank all the leaders of Gujarat BJP including CR Paatil and the team of Vijay Rupani," Patel said while addressing the media.
BJP Lauds Decision, Congress Takes a Dig
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda took to Twitter to congratulate Patel.
Further, erstwhile CM Rupani said that Patel is "capable".
"Bhupendra Patel is capable. We believe BJP will win the upcoming elections in the state under his leadership," he told ANI.
On the contrary, Paresh Dhanani, leader of the Opposition from Congress in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, told The Indian Express, that the state government will be "remote-controlled like before."
"I believe that government in Gujarat will be remote-controlled like before and only the power centre has shifted. Now the remote is with Anandiben Patel after it was taken from the hands of Amit Shah."Paresh Dhanani, leader of opposition from Congress in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, to The Indian Express
Furthermore, Congress' Saral Patel took to Twitter to take a dig at the development.
Who Is Bhupendra Patel?
Bhupendra Patel, MLA from Ahmedabad's Ghatlodia, also known to be a protégé of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, was earlier the chairperson of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority.
In the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections, Bhupendra Patel had won his seat by a margin of 1,17,000 votes, the highest margin in that election. He had then contested against Congress' Shashikant Patel. The state goes to polls in 2022.
(With inputs from ANI and The Indian Express.)
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