Bhupendra Patel, BJP’s surprise choice of Gujarat CM

Mr. Patel is quiet, unassuming, low-profile and non-controversial

When to the Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation as Chief Minister at the instruction of on Saturday, many party leaders and workers, and media persons, began speculating immediately on the names that could be the next Chief Minister. Animated discussions here have mainly centred around outgoing Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and the Administrator of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Lakshdweep Praful Patel, and others. never figured in any of this speculation, including by the top BJP leadership in Gujarat. Even the otherwise always well-informed top corporates in the State were in the dark till Mr. Patel’s name was announced in a meeting at the BJP’s headquarters in Gandhinagar. Before he became a legislator from the Ghatlodia seat in 2017, which earlier was held by former CM and now Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, “Bhupendrabhai” held the important positions of chairman of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, and chairman of various committees of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, including its top decision-making Standing Committee. Yet he always remained a low profile party worker who preferred to work silently.