Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of Bhupendra Patel as Gujarat CM, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Monday in an interaction with the media said, "Bhupendra Patel is my old family friend. I congratulated him, and he has also asked for my guidance whenever needed." The BJP leader who met the CM-designate added that he was not upset and happy to see him take oath as CM.
Soon after Vijay Rupani's resignation, the demands to make Nitin Patel chief minister began to trend on social media.
"A CM should be someone who is popular, experienced and takes everyone together. There are rumours in the media that I will be made CM, but the fact is that BJP high command will decide who will be the chief minister", the BJP leader had said, adding that Vijay Rupani's resignation was 'voluntary', and there was no pressure.
Also read: CM should be someone popular, experienced & accommodating: Nitin Patel
Fondly called 'Dada' by his supporters, Bhupendrabhai Rajnikanthbhai Patel is all set to be the 17th Chief Minister of Gujarat. The announcement of the 59-year-old leader's name as the chief minister-designate at a legislative party meeting of the BJP on Sunday came as a surprise for many as the low-profile MLA was not seen to be among the top contenders for the post.
Bhupendra Patel is a first-time MLA from Ghatlodia, the constituency vacated by former chief minister Anandiben Patel after she was appointed Madhya Pradesh Governor.
He shot into prominence after defeated Congress candidate Shashikant Patel by one lakh votes, considered to be the highest winning margin in the 2017 Assembly elections. His political journey started from Memnagar Nagarpalika in Ahmedabad in the 1990s and Patel served as president of the city civic body in 1999-2000 and 2004-06. Before contesting the corporation election, he also served as AMC school board vice chairman from 2008-10.
