From Nitin Patel to Praful Khoda Patel, Probable Faces for Gujarat CM Post After Vijay Rupani's Exit

After Vijay Rupani’s ‘surprise’ resignation from the post of Gujarat Chief Minister, speculation is afire on who will replace him at the top post ahead of assembly elections in the state next year. Front-runners for the position include Nitin Patel, Gordhan Jadafia, Mansukh Mandaviya, C R Paatil, Parshottam Rupala, and R C Faldu, sources told News18.

Meanwhile, sources told CNN-News18 that the next Chief Minister of Gujarat is likely to be from the Patel community.

Here’s some info about the leaders:

Nitin Patel: Nitin Patel is Gujarat’s deputy chief minister at the moment. He is also the finance, health, and medical education minister. He previously served as Minister of Water Supply, Water Resources (except Kalpsar Division), Urban Development, and Urban Housing. In 2012 and 2017, he was elected to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from Mehsana.

Praful Khoda Patel: Praful Khoda Patel presently serves as the Administrator of the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. Patel began his political career in Gujarat by winning the Himatnagar constituency in the state’s 12th legislative assembly election in 2007. Praful Patel’s father, Khodabhai Ranchhodbhai Patel, was a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader. Patel served as Gujarat’s MoS Home Minister under Chief Minister Narendra Modi beginning August 21, 2010. After becoming Prime Minister in 2014, Narendra Modi named Patel as Administrator of Daman and Diu in 2016, followed by Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli shortly after. Praful Patel was one of the union territory’ first politically appointed administrators. Officers of the Indian Administrative Service have frequently occupied such jobs.

Mansukh Mandaviya: Mansukh Mandaviya is the Union Health Minister and a member of the Bhavnagar Leuva Patel community. He represents Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha. Mandavaiya was born in the small town of Hanol in the Palitana Taluka of Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district. He is the youngest of four brothers born to a middle-class agricultural family. He received his primary education at the Government Primary School in Hanol and his secondary education at the Songadh Gurukul. He completed an HSC certificate degree in Veterinary Live Stock Inspector. After completing his HSC, he was educated at Songadh Gurukul and Gujarat Agriculture University in Gujarat. He went on to earn an MA in Political Science from Bhavnagar University.

CR Paatil: CR Paatil is the current state BJP unit’s leader. In the Lok Sabha, he represents Navsari. In 2019, Paatil won the election by a record margin of 689,668 votes. In 2014, he won an election with a record margin of 5,58,116 votes, the third biggest in India. He is India’s first Member of Parliament to receive ISO 9001: 2015 accreditation for office. His office received an ISO certificate for a quality management system relevant to the monitoring and administration of government services for the constituency. He was instrumental in the growth of Surat; whether it is policy development for the textile and diamond sectors, or the development of Surat airport into a fully functional one with several flights connecting Surat to the rest of India.

Gordhan Zadafia: Gordhan Zadafia is a Gujarat BJP leader with Vishva Hindu Parishad background. He was a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader for 15 years before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was the General Secretary of the BJP in Ahmedabad and was elected to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly twice, in 1995–97 and 1998–2002. During 2001–2002, he was a Minister of State for Home and Security and Police Housing (Independent Charge) in Gujarat’s state government led by Narendra Modi.

RC Faldu: RC Faldu is the current Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Transport and a previous head of the state BJP unit. Faldu was born on August 1, 1957, in Kalavad, Jamnagar district, to a farming family. He was the ninth child of Chanabhai Virabhai Faldu and Rambhaben Chanabhai Faldu. Faldu’s family was from the Leuva Patel community.

Parshottam Rupala: Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala serves as the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy in PM Modi’s Second Cabinet. He is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat. From 1988 to 1991, Rupala was the president of the Amreli district chapter of Bhartiya Janata Party. In 1992, he was appointed Secretary of the Bhartiya Janata Party. From February 2002 until 2004, he was the Chairman of a youth hostel. He was a trustee of the Kadva Patidar trust in Amreli, as well as the Chairman of the Madad Trust and the President of the Gujarat Electricity Board Union. He was a member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for three consecutive terms, ending in 2002.

What Prompted Rupani’s Exit?

It is not clear what prompted the development in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state where elections to the 182-member Assembly are due in December next year. Rupani (65) was sworn in as chief minister his second stint as CM – in December 2017. “I have resigned as chief minister of Gujarat, Rupani told reporters after meeting Governor Acharya Devvrat and submitting his resignation letter.

“I was allowed to serve the state for five years. I have contributed to the development of the state. I will further do whatever is asked by my party, Rupani said. In BJP, there has been a tradition that responsibilities of party workers change from time to time. I will be ready to take whatever responsibility that the party will give me in the future, Rupani said.

I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a common worker like me this opportunity to serve the people of the state as chief minister, Rupani said. Asked about reasons for his resignation, Rupani said, In BJP, it is like a relay race for party workers. One gives the baton to the other.

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