New Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel to call on PM Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday

Besides PM Narendra Modi, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel will also meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi.

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New Delhi: New Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is all set to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to Delhi on Monday (September 20). 

According to the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO), during his one-day visit to the national capital, Patel will pay a courtesy call on Kovind and Naidu for the first time since assuming the CM post. 

The CMO office in its release on Sunday (September 19) added that Patel will also meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president JP Nadda before returning to Ahmedabad on Monday night. 

Patel replaced Vijay Rupani, who had in a surprising move stepped down from the top post, and took oath as Gujarat's 17th chief minister.

Patel, seen as a protege of former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, is a first-term BJP MLA from Ghatlodia constituency. He had won the 2017 Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections defeating Congress candidate Shashikant Patel. He was a part of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority.

After his swearing-in ceremony on September 13, Patel’s new Cabinet took oath three days later. Besides keeping the Home ministry, CM Patel is also in charge of General Administration Department, Information and Broadcast, Industries, Mines and Minerals, Capital Projects, Urban Development, Urban Housing and Narmada and Ports, as per an official release. 24 ministers were administered oath in the new Cabinet, while no Deputy CM was appointed. Kanubhai Desai was allocated Finance and Energy and Petrochemicals portfolios.

The change of guard in Gujarat assumes significance as the state will witness polls to182-member Assembly next year. 

(With agency inputs)