BJP to decide on 21 May who will become next Guj CM

Ahmedabad: The BJP Legislature Party in Gujarat will meet here on 21 May to elect its new leader to replace Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is all set to be the country’s next Prime Minister. The party’s central leadership has appointed senior leader Thavar Chand Gehlot as its central observer along with Gujarat state party in-charge Om Mathur, who would also be present at the meeting of BJP MLAs, where names for the post of chief minister will be discussed, BJP office bearers said today. [caption id=“attachment_1531263” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] Those in the race for the top post include senior minister Anandi Patel, BJP General Secretary Amit Shah, ministers Nitin Patel and Saurabh Patel, besides BJP General Secretary Bhikubhai Dalsania. Party sources, however, said Modi would have the last word on who would replace him. Meanwhile, a special session of the state Assembly will be held on 21 May to bid farewell to Modi, who is expected to tender his resignation as chief minister soon after attending the session. Modi became the chief minister for the first time on 7 October, 2001 and won three consecutive terms. He is also scheduled to address a rally on 20 May in Maninagar, his assembly constituency. PTI