Gujarat: New Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, will take an oath today in a ceremony expected to be attended by Home Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers of four BJP-led states. The Ghatlodia MLA will replace Vijay Rupani, who had resigned from his post on Saturday. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s choice of the 59-year-old as the chief minister at a legislative party meeting on Sunday came as a surprise for many as the low-profile, first-time legislator was not seen to be among the top contenders for the post.
State BJP president CR Patil speaking to reporters on Sunday, said, “Bhupendra Patel will take oath as the chief minister…Only the chief minister will be sworn in today and the decision regarding the new Gujarat cabinet will be taken later.” He added the new cabinet will be formed after consultation with the senior leaders in a couple of days. Patel, who was also present, told reporters that he was grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, and Union minister Amit Shah for the trust they reposed in him.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony.
Bhupendra Patel, a first-time MLA, is a member of the Patidar community. He has also held the positions of president of Memnagar municipality in Ahmedabad, standing committee chairman of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority. He holds a diploma in civil engineering and is considered close to former CM Anandiben Patel, who won from the seat in the 2012 polls.
