Ahmedabad: BJP leader Nitin Patel whose name is doing rounds as one among the next chief minister probables maintained that the party high command will decide the next CM.
"A CM should be someone who is popular, experienced and takes everyone together. There are rumors 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 said.
As regards to the resignation of Vijay Rupani, Patel claimed that the resignation was 'voluntary', and there was no pressure. He added that the cental observers sent by party high command will hear the senior BJP leaders on the next CM.
The BJP legislative party meet is to be held at 3 pm to elect the new chief minister. Union Minister and BJP's central observer for Gujarat, Narendra Singh Tomar and party's national general secretary, Tarun Chugh are holding talks with Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil and other senior leaders.
Caretaker Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has reached the BJP office in Gandhinagar to attend the legislature party meet.
It may be recalled Gujarat Chief Minister Rupani submitted his resignation to the Governor on Saturday. His resignation came 15 months before the election to the 182-member Assembly that is due in December 2022.
Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Pralhad Joshi and BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh will conduct the meeting to elect our new chief minister, said Yamal Vyas, chief spokesperson, Gujarat State BJP.
Earlier Narendra Singh Tomar said, "We have come here to hold further discussions (over the name of next chief minister of Gujarat). We will hold discussions with the state president and other leaders."
Rupani (65), the fourth chief minister to demit office in BJP-ruled states during the coronavirus pandemic, was sworn in as chief minister in December 2017.
BJP's general secretary (organisation) B L Santosh and Gujarat state unit in-charge Bhupender Yadav met party functionaries soon after Rupani announced his resignation.
Soon after Rupani's resignation, the demand to make Nitin Patel chief minister began to trend on social media.
Union health minister Mandaviya, who like Patel belongs to the influential Patidar community, is also considered a front-runner. Leaders of the community had demanded recently that the next chief minister should be a Patidar.
State BJP president C R Patil, who originally hails from Maharashtra, is unlikely to be considered for the CM's post, sources said.
The BJP had replaced Anandiben Patel a year before Assembly polls were due. It has now done the same with Rupani and his successor may lead the party in the December 2022 state elections, the sources said.
