Bhupendra Patel To Be Named Gujarat's Chief Minister Today, Oath To Be Taken On Monday

Bhupendra Patel, former Gujarat Chief Minister, resigned as a formality after BJP's Gujarat assembly's election win, he is due to be nominated for the job once again on December 10, at the legislators' meet ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on December 12.

Mr Patel resigned along with his entire cabinet on December 9, to pave the way for the swearing-in of a new government in the state after BJP's landslide victory in the state elections.

The BJP achieved a majority in Gujarat by scoring a record 156 seats in the 182-member assembly.

The former Chief Minister, accompanied by Gujarat BJP chief C R Paatil and party's chief whip Pankaj Desai, submitted his resignation to Governor Acharya Devvrat at the Raj Bhavan in the state's capital.

It was just a formality as the party had already announced that Mr Patel will be the next chief minister of the state ahead of the elections.

On December 8, the state BJP chief assured that Mr Patel would keep the top post in the state and his swearing-in ceremony would be held on December 12.

"The governor had accepted the resignation of the chief minister and his cabinet. Till the formation of the new government, Patel will remain as the caretaker chief minister," the party claimed outside Raj Bhavan.

In a letter, Mr Paatil informed the governor that the BJP, which has won 156 out of 182 seats, has called a legislative party meeting of all the newly-elected MLAs on December 10, morning to elect a new leader, who will eventually become the next Chief Minister.

"The meeting of MLAs will be held at 10 am on Saturday at the party headquarters Kamalam in Gandhinagar. The governor will be informed about the election of a new leader in the afternoon, for which we have sought time from him. The swearing in of the new chief minister and his cabinet will take place as per the governor's instructions," BJP officials claimed.

Mr Paatil had announced that the swearing-in ceremony of the new government will take place on December 12 at the Helipad Ground in Gandhinagar.