Nitinbhai Patel likely to take over as new Chief Minister of Gujarat: Sources

New Delhi: After the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Cabinet Minister for Health in the Government of Gujarat in India, Nitin Patel is all set to become the next CM. Nitin, who was formerly a Cabinet Minister for water supply, water resources, (excluding Kalpsar Division), urban development and urban housing; was elected to Gujarat Legislative Assembly from Mehsana in 2012. Patel gained popularity in last two years as he worked as a second-in-command of Anandiben Patel. Ending months of speculation, Gujarat's first woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Monday offered to quit in keeping with the BJP's "laudable tradition" of leaders vacating their posts as they turn 75. In a letter to national BJP president Amit Shah, the contents of which she posted on Facebook in Gujarati, Patel says: "I turn 75 in November but I am requesting the party leadership to relieve me now to allow more time to the new incumbent." Patel, whose image had taken several beatings during the past over a year, said the state government's ambitious biennial Vibrant Gujarat global investors meet is scheduled for January while the crucial state assembly elections fall in December 2017. "If I am relieved now, the new Chief Minister will have time to prepare for these two important events." Besides criticism for her inept handling of the pitched 10-month-old reservation agitation by the Patels, a caste that has long been a key political constituency of the BJP, her image also took a beating during the more recent Dalit uprising after the flogging of Dalit youths in Una by cow vigilantes, that has led to widespread condemnation. Over 30 Dalit organisations came under one banner to protest atrocities against the community in Gujarat at a massive gathering on Sunday. Neither Amit Shah nor state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Vijay Rupani expressed any surprise at this sudden move. Rather they praised "the spirit with which she has made the offer". A senior party leader, reacting to the news, said: "Everybody knew this was to come, it was long overdue." The Chief Minister, who also read out her Facebook post to local TV channels, said this was her second letter to the leadership to relieve her from the post.