BJP President Amit Shah was on Wednesday authorised by party’s highest decision body-Parliamentary Board-to announce the name of new Gujarat Chief Minister after the meeting of State legislature, scheduled in a day or two at Gandhinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the Parliamentary Board meeting. The successor of the outgoing CM Anandiben Patel is likely to be one of the BJP MlAs in the State Assembly.
The BJP has sent Union Transport Minister and former party president Nitin Gadkari and General Secretary Saroj Pande as party observers to Gandhinagar to meet with the party legislators.
Shah will reach Gujarat on Thursday where he will hold consultations with party leaders and attend the legislature party meeting, likely to be held on Friday to elect the new leader.
Speaking to media persons after the Parliamentary Board meeting, senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu ruled out the candidature of Shah, who is also an MlA, for the Chief Ministerial position. Naidu said the party needs him to lead it at the national level. He said Patel’s successor will be from among the MlAs. “Such a question does not arise. He is the party president and going to remain party president. The party needs his leadership at the national level. There is no such discussion at all,” he said when asked about reports that Shah was also in the contention. Noting that Shah is a State MlA, Naidu said he will be present at the legislature party meeting. “He will hold consultations following which the successor will be decided,” he said.
At Ahmedabad, while talking to media, the State BJP president and senior Minister Vijay Rupani said that announcement of the new Gujarat CM would be made in next couple of days. “BJP MlAs will pick their new leader in presence of observers and the party president” said Rupani, who is also one of the contenders for the coveted post of Gujarat CM.
Nitin Patel, considered number two in the State Cabinet, and Rupani, who is also a Minister, are seen as the front-runners to succeed Anandiben Patel.
Anandiben Patel had offered to resign on Monday maintaining it was time for a fresh face to take over the State’s reins as she would be soon turning 75, understood to be the undeclared age bar in the party for holding Ministerial position. “The Parliamentary Board gave its approval to Anandiben Patel's wish to quit,” Naidu said and insisted that the Board did not discuss names of any candidate to replace her
Naidu told reporters, “Anandiben Patel had wished to be relieved of her responsibility as she would turn 75 soon. She has set up a great precedent for lakhs of party workers. The Board put on record her very good work as the Chief Minister and as a minister earlier,” Naidu said. Replying to a question if the party has decided to not have leaders over 75 years in Government, Naidu said whenever it establishes such a principle it will share this with media.
Meanwhile at Gandhinagar ,accepting the resignation from Anandiben Patel in presence of her cabinet colleagues ,the state governor O P Kohli asked her to continue as the caretaker CM till the new incumbent takes her place. Apart from her Cabinet colleagues, Gujarat BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma, Rupani, senior party functionaries and former Gujarat Ministers IK Jadeja and Kaushik Patel as well as State BJP treasurer and senior BJP leader Surendra Patel were present at Raj Bhavan.
Seemingly relieved Anandiben waived hands and greeted BJP workers and media persons assembled outside Raj Bhavan. Though large number of media persons waited outside Raj Bhavan for her reactions post resignation, she remained seated smiling inside her official vehicle as the driver drove down the vehicle towards neighbouring CM House.
Andndiben's remained in view of pro-quota agitation of Patidars led by Hardik Patel as well as development following recent beating up of Dalit youths near Una town.
Many in the saffron party believe that she could have taken prompt action to control Patidar agitation and she became too late to express sympathy towards Dalits. Both these issues proved to be costly for BJP in context to the upcoming assembly polls in 2017.