The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Anandiben Patel as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and said the legislature party meeting will be held on Thursday to decide next chief minister of the state.
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The national BJP parliamentary board headed by party president Amit Shah will hold a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, in which Anandiben Patel’s resignation will be formally accepted. Amit Shah, a BJP president stated that, “She has requested the party to relieve her of the post”.
The decision of Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel to step down after November 21 as she turns 75 years of age has taken the political circles by total surprise.
Others who are in the race to become Gujarat’s CM reportedly include state health minister Nitin Patel, and MLA Saurabh Patel.
Under the leadership of Patel, who had been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and was made chief minister in 2014, it is the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era that BJP in Gujarat has faced tough challenge from its opponents.
The only BJP leader who has so far resigned from a post because of the age limit is Najma Heptulla. Also being “closest” to the Prime Minister, Mr Shah moving out of Delhi could lead to major organisational problems. “Just like Patel is on her way to be free from the burden of CM’s responsibility, I am confident that BJP in Gujarat will be out of power after the 2017 Assembly polls”, Vaghela added.
Anandiben, meanwhile, issued advertisements in newspapers here on Wednesday listing the works done during her two-year tenure.
A senior party leader, reacting to the news, said: “Everybody knew this was to come, it was long overdue”. “Therefore, out of that pressure from the party, she has offered to resign”, he claimed.
Following her offer to resign, Mr. Shah said the matter would be placed before the party’s parliamentary board.
The names doing the round for the post are of state BJP Chief Vijay Rupani, state minister Nitin Patel, assembly speaker Ganpat Vasava and state general secretary Bhiku Bhai Dalsania. They and Amit Shah will take a final decision on who will be the chief minister.
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Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that she had set an example for many across the country.
