Nitin, Mandaviya, Rupala, Zadafia, Praful Patel in race for Gujarat CM post

Ahmedabad: A meeting of the BJP's legislature party will be held in Ahmedabad on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM to pick the new Chief Minister of Gujarat, a day after Vijay Rupani resigned from the top post in a surprise move.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Pralhad Joshi have been appointed observers for the selection, and will be present at the meeting.

Union ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala, Gujarat Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, state agriculture minister R C Faldu, and Gujarat BJP leader with roots in the Vishva Hindu Parishad Gordhan Zadafia are being considered among the top contenders to the post.

Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil issued a clarification on Saturday night that he is not in the race for Chief Minister.

Rupani's resignation by default means resignation of the state cabinet. Meetings were held in Ahmedabad on Saturday by BJP general secretary BL Santhosh and Union minister Bhupendra Yadav, with Patil, and other party leaders.

In a surprise move, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani resigned on Saturday as Chief Minister of the state leaving questions over who could be his successor.

Rupani, 65, represents Rajkot West assembly constituency.

He told reporters on Saturday he resigned voluntarily and also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity granted to him to lead the state for five years.

He had taken over as Chief Minister of Gujarat in August 2016 when Anandiben Patel had quit the office in the wake of agitation by Patidar community leader Hardik Patel. (UNI)