Political News: BREAKING: Bhupendrabhai Patel elected as new Gujarat CM

Bhupendrabhai Patel was on Sunday elected as the new chief minister of Gujarat. He will succeed Vijay Rupani, who resigned from his post on Saturday, in a sudden announcement almost a year before the state goes to polls. The crucial decision was taken at a meeting of BJP leaders in Gandhinagar. 

Patel is now likely to meet the governor and stake claim to form the government after the conclusion of the legislators’ meeting. 

BJP had appointed Union ministers Tomar and Joshi as observers for the legislature party meeting to elect the new chief minister. Tomar met state BJP chief C R Paatil on Sunday morning.

Rupani (65), the fourth chief minister to demit office in BJP-ruled states during the coronavirus pandemic, was sworn in as chief minister – his second stint as CM – in December 2017. He first became the chief minister on August 7, 2016, following the resignation of incumbent Anandiben Patel, and continued in the office after the BJP’s victory in the 2017 Assembly elections.

READ MORE: Bhupendrabhai Patel is new Gujarat CM – Key Highlights