Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s home state Gujarat may see a new chief minister ahead of assembly polls that are due in November 2017, as top BJP brass are veering around the view to offer current CM Anandiben patel the position of governor.
According to reports, Nitinbhai Patel is expected to take over as CM.
The reason behind this expected swap is reported to be BJP’s concern that the party might fare poorly under her leadership in the Assembly elections due to Patel agitation.
Patel had been given three months to resolve the Patidar agitation or quit, claims report.
The Economic Times reports a BJP leader stating “The feedback from Gujarat was very worrying. Even the most-optimistic projections by our people in Gujarat have said that if things remain the same, it will be tough to remain in power during the assembly polls in 2017. It won’t be just an electoral set back. PM Narendra Modi is from Gujarat and it would give everyone a handle to beat Modi with. Gujarat just can’t be lost.”