Nitin Patel to be new Gujarat Chief Minister; has PM Modi’s backing

New Delhi, August 5: While official confirmation from the Bhartiya Janata Party on the next Chief Minister for Gujarat will be made in a while, reports have emerged that senior leader Nitin Patel is likely to replace former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

Patel has Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s backing, sources have confirmed to the Indian Express.

The official announcement of Mr. Patel’s appointment will be made after the BJP legislative party meeting at 4 p.m. “He is the final candidate and confirmed as next Chief Minister in place of Anandiben Patel,” said a senior leader said, adding “he is number 2 in the Cabinet”,  as reported in the thehindu.com.

BJP president Amit Shah held meetings back to back on Thursday in Ahmedabad to finalise on the name of the next CM.

The 60-year-old Nitin Patel, although a political lightweight, comes with the PM’s backing. Patel who is BJP’s current second-in-command in Gujarat had indicated an interest in serving as the state Chief Minister during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP decided on Patel after the Patidar community and on the back of strong support of outgoing Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. Ms Anandiben Patel resigned from the Chief Ministerial post a few days ago in the wake of growing protests by the Dalit community over the Una episode where four dalit men were flogged in full view of the public by cow vigilante groups for skinning a cow.

The Patidar movement still simmering the state and the BJP cannot afford to sideline the community. Factors favouring  Nitin Patel include the fact that he is from North Gujarat where the Patel agitation is still creating a headache for the ruling party.