Rupani to continue as Gujarat’s CM
BOOST FOR BJP Independent Rantansinh Rathod declares support to the saffron party; no decision on Himachal yet
Vijay Rupani will be Gujarat’s 22nd chief minister and Nitin Patel will be his deputy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Friday.
“Vijaybhai’s name was suggested by senior legislator Bhupendrasinh Chudasma and accepted by all legislators unanimously,” announced observer and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley after holding a meeting of 99 newly elected legislators.
On the day, the BJP-led government also touched the threedigit figure of 100 legislators as Rantansinh Rathod, an independent to win Lunawada seat, declared support to the party.
In Himachal Pradesh, the party’s observer, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, returned to Delhi after taking feedback from legislators on the possible chief minister.
Rupani was appointed as Gujarat
AHMEDABAD:
CM in August 2016, replacing Anandiben Patel. He had been selected with an eye on the 2019 general elections, and the party didn’t want to take a risk by bringing in a new face.
“In coming five years, I and Nitinbhai will try to meet hopes, aspirations and dreams of Guj- arat’s people,” Rupani said, adding, “Voters have rejected politics of casteism and communalism by the Congress. We both will take forward ‘Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas’ mantra of PM Narendra Modi.”
The date and venue of the