Ahmedabad, Aug 5 (Agencies): The Bharatiya Janata Party sprang a surprise by choosing Vijay Rupani as the new chief minister of Gujarat to succeed Anandiben Patel, who resigned on Wednesday. Rupani, the BJP state unit’s president, will be sworn in on Sunday. Nitin Patel would serve as the state’s deputy chief minister. Rupani would be tasked with leading the party in the assembly polls due next year, overcoming the multiple challenges faced by it in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rupani emerged as the choice for the top slot at the legislature party meeting attended by BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, though it was widely speculated that the mantle would fall on Nitin Patel.

Source: The Telegraph August 05, 2016 14:03 UTC