Senior BJP leader Bhupendra Patel is the new Gujarat Chiwf Minister (FILE)Senior BJP leader Bhupendra Patel — known to be a protege of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel — will succeed Vijay Rupani as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. While he was elected the leader of the legislature party after a meeting, it is believed that the candidate was picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah.The MLA from Ghatlodia seat — held earlier by Anandiben Patel — was the part of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority.Vijay Rupani stepped down on Saturday — 15 months ahead of the state elections — in a surprise move amid whispers that his handling of the second wave of Covid and his style of functioning had upset the Central leadership.He was the fourth Chief Minister to be replaced in the BJP ruled states so far this year.Others who walked the same path includes BS Yediyurappa in Karnataka in July. In Uttarakhand, Tirath Singh Rawat quit barely four months after replacing Trivendra Rawat.In Gujarat, Mr Rupani was installed in 2016 — 16 months ahead of elections — after the removal of Anandiben Patel.
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