Vijay Rupani to remain chief minister of Gujarat, Nitin Patel to be deputy, announces BJP

The BJP has decided to maintain status quo in Gujarat as Union finance minister Arun Jaitley confirmed on Friday that the party has elected Vijay Rupani to remain the chief minister, while Nitin Patel will continue as his deputy.

Vijay Rupani to be the Legislature party leader: Arun Jaitley #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/le3874RrVj

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017

The newly-elected BJP MLAs of Gujarat met in Gandhinagar at the party headquarters ‘Kamalam’ on Friday to choose a leader and a deputy leader of the legislature party. Jaitley and BJP general secretary Saroj Pandey were the central observers for the exercise.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Jaitley said that all the MLAs were present at the meeting and the decision to elect Rupani and Patel was unanimously made. 

Describing the process of the election, Jaitley said that the MLAs were called upon to propose a name. Following the decision, Rupani lauded BJP’s victory and said that Gujarat has rejected Congress’ divisive politics.

People have given us mandate for 27 years. It is a huge victory that public has shown faith in us all these years: Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/nMsBM0S8Bh

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017

Following the poll results, in which BJP retained power in Gujarat for the sixth time by winning 99 seats in the 182-member House, Governor OP Kohli dissolved the Assembly on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Rupani and members of his council of ministers had tendered their resignations to Governor OP Kohli, who accepted them.

Rupani was the front-runner for the chief minister’s post, and was asked to continue as caretaker chief minister till the swearing in of the new government.

With inputs from PTI