BJP to decide Rupani's successor in Gujarat soon

A day after the exit of Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his cabinet, the state BJP legislators are meeting today to discuss his successor. Reports says that the saffron party has appointed Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Pralhad Joshi as the central observers for the BJP Gujarat legislative party meeting to elect a new chief minister of the state.

Quoting sources IANS reports that the BJP's Gujarat legislative party meeting will be held later in the day.

"I will hold consultations with Gujarat leaders, then the central leadership will take a decision," Union Minister and the BJP's central observer for Gujarat, Pralhad Joshi, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Senior party leaders Bhupendra Yadav and BL Santosh will attend the meeting.

In the morning, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh met at state BJP chief CR Patil's residence.

"Union Minister and state unit in-charge Bhupender Yadav and national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh are already in Gujarat. They (Yadav and Santhosh) will also be present in the legislative party meeting. All the BJP MLAs will attend the meeting along with central observers and central leaders," IANS quoted a party leader as saying

The names of several leaders are doing rounds for the next chief minister of Gujarat. Some of the prominent names include Praful Patel, Gordhan Zadaphia, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala, and state BJP chief C.R. Patil.

Praful Patel, the administrator of Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu, is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Zadaphia, a Patidar, was the state home minister in the Modi government in Gujarat in 2002. Mandaviya's name, who is also a Patidar, has been cropping up for the post for the last one year. C.R. Patil is also considered tp be close to Prime Minister Modi.

Rupani took the state's Chief Ministerial position on August 7, 2016, and represents Rajkot (West) in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. The saffron party held a nine day statewide event in Gujarat, just last month celebrating five years of Rupani in office.

The 65-year-old Rupani resigned as Chief Minister on Saturday, 15 months ahead of assembly elections in the state, in what is being seen as a course correction by the BJP.

There is speculation that his handling of the second wave of the Covid pandemic is one of the reasons for the hard reboot ordered by the Central leadership.