Hummingbird News Desk
NEW DELHI, 11 SEP: In an unpredicted move, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani resigned along with his cabinet on Saturday evening, a year before the assembly elections are scheduled in the state.
Rupani did not give any reason for his resignation and just thanked the “BJP leadership for giving him the opportunity” to serve as the Chief Minister.
He had assumed office in 2016 after replacing then CM Anandiben Patel. It was only last month that he completed five years in office.
As per reports, Rupani visited the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar and handed over his resignation. Speaking to the media, Rupani did not give a reason behind his move but said that he is ready for whatever new role the party assigns to him.
Speculations are rife that Mansukh Mandaviya may step into Rupani’s shoes even as the party is yet to make an announcement on that front. The names of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Gujarat BJP president CR Patil, and state vice president Gordhan Zadafia are also being considered by the BJP for Rupani’s replacement, reports said.
As per latest reports, Home Minister Amit Shah is currently meeting the top leaders of the state. He is likely to reach Ahmedabad tomorrow for party’s organization meeting where he will announce the name of the next CM.
Rupani is the third BJP Chief Minister who resigned recently. First, it was Tirath Singh Rawat, who resigned as the Uttarakhand CM on 3 July, then B S Yediyurappa who quit as the Karnataka Chief Minister on 26 July.
Only hours before his resignation, Rupani and his Deputy Nitin Patel were present at a function, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Lokarpan of Sardardham Bhavan and Bhoomi Pujan of Sardardham Phase – II Kanya Chhatralaya via video conferencing.
Vijay Rupani took the state’s Chief Ministerial position on 7 August, 2016 and is representing Rajkot West in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
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