The outgoing Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel on Wednesday admitted before mediapersons that BJP national general secretary Narendra Modi will be his successor. Modi will now be formally elected at the BJP legislature party meet on Thursday. Patel, who was fiercely opposed to Modi as his successor after being asked to quit in the wake of by-election defeats, finally came around the decision to propose Modi’s name.

“Party comes first, individuals come next. I will support Modi as chief minister,” Patel told reporters. Earlier, former BJP president Kushabhau Thakre and vice-president Madan Lal Khurana, who arrived in Gandhinagar Wednesday morning, met Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel at his official residence.
The leaders also met supporters of Patel, industries minister Suresh Mehta, Gujarat BJP leader Rajendra Sinh Rana among others.
During their meetings it was decided that Keshubhai Patel would submit his resignation to Governor S S Bhandari.
Meanwhile, the meeting of the BJP legislature party that was scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed till Thursday. At the legislature party meet, the proposal for the new leader would be moved by Patel and seconded by Suresh Mehta.

Bureau Report