Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday said his Gujarat counterpart Anandiben Patel’s decision to step down was a “sacrifice” made by her to make way for the young generation.
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To queries on whether Shah too was a contender for the CM’s post, Naidu said, “Such a question does not arise”. Kohli has asked her to continue until the new chief minister takes charge. Her resignation and Thursday’s meeting of the Gujarat Legislature Party sets in motion the process of election of the new Gujarat CM.
Among Anandiben’s probable successors are the BJP General Secretary in Gujarat Bhikhubhai Dalsania, a Patel leader from Jamnagar drafted into the BJP from the RSS, and senior ministers Nitin Patel and Vijay Rupani, the State BJP chief.
The reproduction of the story/photograph in any form will be liable for legal action. He is the party president and going to remain party president.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh on Tuesday said he welcomed his party’s all-must-retire-at-75 rule. Ruling out the candidature of Shah, also an MLA, Naidu said the party needs him to lead it at the national level.
A meeting of the legislature party will be held in Ahmedabad on Friday, which will be attended by Mr. Shah.
Others in the race are union minister Purshottam Rupala and Gujarat assembly speaker Ganpat Vasava. Clearing the air on Amit Shah, Naidu said that the next chief minister would be from the existing party MLAs in Gujarat.
According to senior party leaders, Anandiben Patel is accused of mismanaging both the Patel agitation for reservation and the recent Dalit protests over the brutal beating of four young men by cow vigilantes. Anandiben, meanwhile, issued advertisements in newspapers in Gandhinagar on Wednesday listing the works done during her two-year tenure.
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Shah will be travelling to 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.
