With Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel submitting her resignation after a week of protests across the state following the Una incident, speculations are rife about the next chief ministerial candidate in Gujarat. Apparently, four people have emerged as the front runners in the race. Newsd tells you who’s in the race for the ‘next Gujarat chief minister.’
Saurabh Patel- A relative of the famous Ambani family, Saurabh Patel Dalal currently holds the post of State Cabinet minister and is in charge of major departments like finance, energy and petrochemicals, mines minerals and civil aviation among others. He is one of the most educated ministers in the cabinet as he holds an MBA degree from America. Cottage Industries, Salt Industries, Printing and Stationery, Planning, Tourism, Civil aviation. He is being viewed as most likely to be Anandiben’s successor.
Vijaykumar Ramniklal Rupani- An RSS affiliate who started his political career by joining Jan Sangh, he currently holds the Transport, Water Supply and Labour ministries. A member of BJP since its inception, he is the only minister in the present cabinet who was jailed during the emergency. Close to Prime minister Narendra Modi he was BJP’s Gujarat unit general secretary and chairman of the Gujarat Finance Board during chief ministership of Narendra Modi.
Nitin Patel- Perhaps the strongest contender in the race, he was recently quoted as saying, “I am ready to be chief minister if party asks me to take up the job.” Currently he handles the health, medical education, family welfare and road ministries in the state.
Bhikubhai Dalsania- He was cited as the biggest competition to Anandiben Patel after Narendra Modi. Another RSS pracharak like Modi, he was the lateral entry into the race and has not contested any elections till now.
