As soon as the news of the Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel's resigning from the post came about, speculations were rife that the next Chief Minister of Gujarat could be the BJP President and a man very close to the Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah. But today senior leader Venkaiah Naidu dismissed rumours that Mr Shah himself was in line for the top job in his home state."Amit Shah will remain BJP president and will decide on the new CM. The party wants him to lead us in national politics," Mr Naidu said. Anandiben Patel's resignation has been accepted and party chief Amit Shah will decide who will succeed her as Gujarat chief minister, the BJP's topdecision makers, the parliamentary board, decided at a meeting today at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Race Course Road residence in Delhi.

 

Anandiben, he said, will meet the state governor today to formally resign and lawmakers in Gujarat will elect a new leader tomorrow. Among the frontrunners for the post is Gujarat BJP chief Vijay Rupani, a Jain leader known to be close to both PM Modi and Amit Shah. And also Gujarat's most senior minister Nitin Patel, who holds several key portfolios in the Gujarat government.