Ahmedabad/ New Delhi, Union ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala are among the frontrunners for the top post in Gujarat following Vijay Rupani's resignation as chief minister, even as state BJP chief CR Patil has denied being in the race.
While Patil was being considered among the front runners, he issued a message on Saturday evening and clarified he was out of the race.
Gujarat Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and state agriculture minister R C Faldu are also among the names being considered as the top contenders.
Patil who became the chief of Gujarat BJP in 2020, had won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with an all-time record victory margin in a parliamentary election defeating his Congress rival in Gujarat's Navsari Lok Sabha seat by a difference of 6.89 lakh votes.
Mansukh Mandaviya is the Union Health Minister and a member of the Bhavnagar Leuva Patel community. He represents Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha.
RC Faldu is the current Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Transport.
Parshottam Rupala is a leader from the Patidar community, and serves as the Minister of state for Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare. He is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.
Gordhan Zadafia, is a Gujarat BJP leader with roots in the Vishva Hindu Parishad, is also being considered among the contenders.
Rupani's resignation by default means resignation of the state cabinet. Meetings were held in Ahmedabad on Saturday by BJP general secretary BL Santhosh and Union minister Bhupend Yadav, with Patil, and other party leaders.
A meeting of the state legislature party has been called on Sunday to discuss the issue.
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