Ahmedabad: BJP president Amit Shah has called a meeting of the party's parliamentary board on Wednesday to appoint the new chief minister of Gujarat, amid speculation that state party chief Vijay Rupani is likely to succeed Anandiben Patel.
A Jain Baniya by caste, Rupani was recently elevated to the post of BJP state chief, besides enjoying the water supply portfolio.
During the Patidar agitation, Rupani was seen as the only BJP leader who was willing to compromise for the cause of the Patidar community.
He is believed to have impressed upon Anandiben to drop criminal cases against Patidar youth who were booked for rioting.
Nitin Patel, a senior state minister is also being talked of as a contender but he has suffered a huge setback during the Patidar agitation.
There are allegations against him for not standing for the cause of Patidars during the agitation in Mehsana in North Gujarat, which is the epicentre of the Patidar agitation. His office in Mehsana was ransacked during the agitation.
State education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama is a "dark horse" in the race for the state premier post. The MLA from Dholka and state education minister, Chudasama has strong roots in the RSS. Most importantly, the Kshatriya leader from central Gujarat had a more-or-less non controversial stint so far, except the recent Talati recruitment scam, where Kalyansinh Champawat levelled several serious corruption allegations against him.
Another possible contender is Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava - a tribal, who can represent the most backward sections of society.
Patidar strongman Purshottam Rupala too is lobbying for the post. He has recently been elected Rajya Sabha MP.
The name of another Patel strongman from Saurashtra, Bhikhu Dalsaniya, is also doing the rounds for the chief ministerial post.
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