Who will replace Anandiben Patel? Here's a list of contenders for the Gujarat CM job

Speculations on the next Gujarat chief minister reached a fever pitch when senior BJP leaders met early on Wednesday to discuss, among other things, who will succeed Anandiben Patel. The leaders emerged from the meeting and stated that the resignation of Anandiben was accepted but they remained tight-lipped and instead said that they will announce the name of the new CM soon. Senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu, however, dispelled popular thought and said that BJP chief Amit Shah is not in the race for the post. Gujarat is BJP stronghold and who gets to run it ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls is a crucial question for the party right now. Shah has his plate full with Uttar Pradesh polls just six months away. Although, among the frontrunners, there are a few names which are repeatedly coming up and also seem like very viable options. Here are the people who are being vetted for the coveted post. Vijay Rupani [caption id=“attachment_2932434” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Vijay Rupani. Facebok[/caption] The topmost contender for the CM post, 60-year-old Vijay Rupani is the state president for BJP and a Cabinet minister. Considered the most non-controversial of the lot, Rupani became an MLA for the first time in 2014. He won the bypolls for the Rajkot West seat which was vacated by Vajubhai Vala. Vala became Karnataka Governor later. According to reports, Rupani is pre-approved as the next possible CM by the party and is widely accepted because of his ability “to handle political crisis.” Because of this attitude, Rupani was elevated as the BJP’s state unit chief while retaining his status as the minister. Party sources admit that Rupani’s conciliatory traits and his malleable personae are the main attributes that would see him through as the possible successor of Anandiben. Explaining why Rupani is being considered for the top job, a senior party insider was quoted by The Times of India as saying, “He is articulate, is known to party workers across the state, besides being familiar with the requirements of the organisation and the government.” Rupani belongs to the Jain community and hails from Rajkot. Incidentally, Rajkot is the heartland of Saurashtra and the stronghold of Patels, the same community whose virulent agitation exposed the caste fault lines in the state. Rupani’s birthday falls on 2 August. “If he takes over as the chief minister, it will be a birthday gift by the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” a senior BJP leader from Ahmedabad told Firstpost. At a time when the OBCs and Dalits are up in arms in Gujarat, making a CM from a non-OBC community can help in avoiding a tricky situation. Executive Editor of _Firstpost_ Ajay Singh wrote that apart from Rupani’s affable attitude, his proximity to the current BJP leadership — PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah — is well-known. “But that’s not the reason why he is most likely to be chosen as chief minister as in Modi’s politics such a conventional metric does not work,” wrote Singh. Nitin Patel [caption id=“attachment_2932442” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Nitin Patel. PTI[/caption] His is the second name that comes up for the post as after Rupani, 60-year-old Nitin Patel is the second-in-command in Gujarat. Patel had shown his interest in the CM’s post during the 2014 General Elections. According to many media outlets, the issue of who gets to helm Gujarat in 2017 Assembly polls remains a race between Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel. Patel is being seen as a daunting contender, as he belongs to the Patidar community, especially at a time when the BJP is trying to keep Patels on its side. Patels have been quite restless with their demand for quota. Even though his efforts did not yield much result, Nitin Patel has been the bridge between agitating Patel leaders and the government. Patel contested his first assembly election in the state in 1995 and has been a member of BJP for the past 30 years. Bhupendrasinh Chudasama [caption id=“attachment_2932444” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Bhupendrasinh Chudasama. Facebook[/caption] His strong allegiance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and his clean image are a few reasons why he is being seen as a strong contestant for the post. However, reports said compared to Rupani and Patel, he does not stand much of a chance. A non-controversial leader and currently cabinet minister in the state, Chudasama’s name might be chosen for the position. However, recently Aam Aadmi Party alleged Chudasama’s involvement in the Talati scam when one of the accused Kalyansinh Champawat named him in the case. AAP dubbed Talati scam bigger than Madhya Pradesh’s Vyapam scam. Parshottam Rupala [caption id=“attachment_2932456” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Parshottam Rupala. Facebook[/caption] Recently appointed in the central Cabinet as the Minister of State of Agriculture, Rupala is the national BJP vice-president. Rupala was a popular pitch for the CM post when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014. Rupala, who was a school teacher before he joined politics, is from the dominant Kadva Patel community of Saurashtra. Reports said that the minister is the most admired orator in party’s state unit after Modi. According to The Times of India, his vast army of supporters were disappointed when he was given only the minister of state rank in the Union Cabinet. Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya [caption id=“attachment_2932464” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya[/caption] An RSS man, 52-year-old Dalsaniya is the state BJP general secretary and the “most powerful leader in the party from the Modi era. With roots in the Sangh Parivar, Dalsaniya acts like a bridge between the RSS and the BJP. However, since he still works in the Sangh, his chances as the next Gujarat CM could be affected.