V. Satish, Dinesh Sharma to be in Gujarat on Wednesday

Gandhinagar: Gujarat BJP incharge Dr Dinesh Sharma and BJP’s national joint organizational joint general secretary Shri V.Satish will arrive in Ahmedabad on Wednesday morning at around 8.00 to meet state party office bearers and outgoing Chief Minister Anandiben Patel who has proposed to step down from the post citing her age factor.

It is learnt that BJP Central Parliamentary Board meeting will be held tomorrow evening to discuss Anandiben Patel’s resignation and procedures ahead for the selection and appointment of new Chief Minister.

Whatever name party would suggest from Delhi will be conveyed formally to MLAs. The new Chief Minister will be formally elected by state party MLAs in a meeting thenafter unanimously.

two names doing round for the post of Chief Minister are mainly state BJP president and Transport minister Vijay Rupani and senior most minister in Gujarat government Shri Nitin Patel.

Other names political pundits speculating are Amit Shah, Parshottam Rupala if party’s central leadership decide them to spare from responsibility in Delhi and send to Gujarat. It should be mentioned that Shah is considered the best choice for the post of Gujarat Chief Minister at this juncture. He is sitting Gujarat MLA too, but BJP is unlikely to spare him from very crucial national responsibility.

Leader of opposition in Gujarat assembly Shankersinh Vaghela today suggested union minister Smriti Irani’s name for the post of Chief Minister as replacement to Anandiben.

While kite flying on different names including the name of Gujarat BJP organizational general secretary Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya is going on, there’s no clarity on who actually will become Chief Minister, but mainly Rupani and Nitin Patel’s name are described as most probable.

Agency report adds: A day after Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel announced her decision to quit, speculations are rife on who will succeed her ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls, overcoming the grim challenges on its way to maintain the over two decades of winning spree in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Though the decision is to be taken at the “highest level” of the BJP leadership, the names doing the rounds as potential successor to Anandiben include the “number two” in the cabinet and health minister Nitin Patel, state BJP chief Vijay Rupani, Union minister Purshottam Rupala and Assembly speaker Ganpat Vasava, a tribal leader.

Sections in the ranks also wish the party’s national president Amit Shah to take over the reins of the state to revive the saffron party’s sagging fortunes.

Nitin Patel, a front runner for the CM’s post, when asked about his chances, responded with the stock reply that the central leadership will take the decision and every one will accept it.

When the question was put to Rupani, he said whatever responsibilities the party entrusts him, he will shoulder it.

However, sources in the party said the final decision in this regard will be taken at the highest level and at present, one can not hazard a guess on who was the favourite. DeshGujarat

Agency report adds: Gujarat BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma and national joint general secretary (organisation) V Satish, are scheduled to arrive here tomorrow to hold talks with local leaders and take stock of the ground situation in the wake of Anandiben Patel announcing her decision to step down as Chief Minister.

“Dinesh Sharma and V Satish will arrive here at 8 am tomorrow and hold discussions with local leaders,” Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.

It is believed that both the leaders are being rushed here by BJP top brass to take stock of the ground situation and make a detailed report after taking into account views of local leaders before finalising the name.

BJP’s parliamentary board will also meet in Delhi tomorrow to take a final call over the issue.

The parliamentary board will first take a final decision on Anadiben’s resignation letter sent to party chief Amit Shah. Thereafter the board will decide on her replacement.

“Later, observers will be sent from Delhi and a meeting of the state BJP Legislative party will be called here, in which the name of the new CM will be announced,” a party source said explaining the selection procedure.

Anandiben offered to resign as the CM yesterday, requesting the BJP leadership to relieve her from the post as she is soon going to be 75. Under the leadership of Patel, who has been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and CM from 2014, the BJP for the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era in Gujarat is facing a tough challenge from its opponents.

Patel, who will turn 75 on November 21, also said the BJP needed a fresh face in the state before the elections due next year. The unwritten convention in the party, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in recent times has been that those attaining the age of 75 have to quit the post.

Elections in the state are due in the later part of 2017.