Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Rupani steps down ahead of Assembly polls in Gujarat

Whether it was a sign of the BJP national leadership’s increasing dissatisfaction with the Gujarat Chief Minister or the practical necessities of a State that will be facing Assembly elections next year, Vijay Rupani has stepped down paving the way for  a change of guard in the state. His replacement will be in place soon. BJP general secretary B L Santosh is understood to have held meetings at the State party headquarters during the day. Rupani met the Governor Acharya Devrat and submitted his resignation. “I have resigned after conveying my wishes to the party leadership to let me work in the organisation,” Rupani said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani meets Governor Acharya Devrat at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar to submit his resignation. Photo: Gujarat Information Department

For quite some time now speculative theories have been doing the rounds of a possible  change of guard in the state. A journalist even faces the sedition charge for a news item suggesting CM Rupani could be asked to step down! The ruling party had been contemplating to effect a change of guard in Gujarat given the apparent lacklustre administration of C M Rupani, whose performance was not as per the expectations of the party high command. Some political observers have also pointed out to the manner in which the chief minister handled the Covid-19 pandemic leading to many deaths in the state.

Rupani took over the reins of the state in August 2016 after the sudden resignation of the then chief minister Anandiben Patel who stepped down following her inept handling of the Patidar agitation that rocked the state. Patel is currently the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.