Incumbent Vijay Rupani is all set to be sworn-in as the Gujarat Chief Minister for the second time on December 26. The swearing-in will take place at Gandhinagar’s Sachivalaya Ground at 11 am. PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will be attending the ceremony. On Friday, Rupani was elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in the state. Rupani, a confidante of BJP chief Amit Shah with deep roots in the RSS, will hold the big post for the second term running after the newly elected MLAs of the party chose him their leader. Incumbent Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will also continue to hold his post following his election as the deputy leader of the BJP legislature party. “Vijay Rupani was chosen as Legislature party leader unanimously, Nitin Bhai Patel as the deputy Legislature party leader in a meeting today. Will inform you all about the swearing in, soon,” said Arun Jaitley in a press conference in Gandhinagar on Friday.
Speaking after Jaitley, Nitin Patel promised good governance to the people of Gujarat. “I want to give assurance to Gujarat public that I and Vijay Bhai will continue to work for the people with the help of other party members just like our previous government,” said Patel. Talking about the poll results, Rupani said, “People have given us mandate for 27 years. It is a huge victory that public has shown faith in us all these years.”
Though the BJP retained power in the key western state for a record sixth straight term, there was speculation over whether Rupani would continue to hold the post given the party’s narrow victory. The BJP won 99 seats in the 182-member Assembly, the first time its tally slipped below hundred since 1995, while challenger Congress clocked its best in many years, clinching 77. Rupani’s proximity to the top party leadership, his clean and caste-neutral image apparently tilted the scales in his favour. Jaitley said the central observers asked the MLAs for names for the posts of the leader and deputy leader of the legislature party, and one of them–Bhupendra Sinh Chudasama– suggested Rupani and Patel. Five other MLAs backed Chudasama’s proposal. The Union minister said he asked the MLAs to come up with more names for the two top posts, but as nobody came forward, Rupani and Patel were declared elected as the leader and deputy leader of the legislature party.
Rupani was made the chief minister in August last year after his predecessor Anandiben Patel resigned in the wake of the growing Dalit unrest in the state after the Una flogging incident a month before, and the Patidar quota agitation, which had begun on a violent note in 2015. Rupani, who successfully staved off a spirited challenge from the Congress, overcoming the incumbency factor, farm distress, angst and anger over demonetisation and GST in the state with a large population of traders, will have to show his political sinews and sagacity when Narendra Modi bids for a second shot at power in 2019.