Ready to be Gujarat CM if party wants: Nitin Patel

With Lok Sabha elections drawing to a close next week and poll predictions favouring Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister, the clamour for Chief ministership in Gujarat has already begun with senior state minister Nitin Patel saying that he is ready to take up the job if the party extends him an opportunity.

There are many others in the race including senior minister Anandi Patel, UP BJP in-charge Amit Shah who is also a MLA from Gujarat, another minister Saurabh Patel and party leader Purshottam Rupala for the CM post.

"I am ready to be Chief Minister if party asks me to take up the job," Patel told PTI.

"If you ask this question to any MLA that are you ready to be the Chief Minister he will reply in positive. If you ask Virat Kohli that would he like to be captain of India obviously he would not say no," Patel said.

Patel, the Finance minister in Modi cabinet, though insisted that whatever the party decides will be accepted by all including him and the discipline will not be breached.

With the possibility of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate and present Chief Minister Narendra Modi-- who has been heading Gujarat since 2001--occupying the country's top post as per many poll predictions, the race for Chief Ministership within the party has gained momentum.

However, voting for two phases in the nine-phased 2014 Lok Sabha elections is yet to be conducted and results will be declared on May 16, making it clear whether the post of Gujarat CM falls vacant or not.

BJP insiders believe that it will be a difficult task for them to fill up the post of the chief minister if BJP gets mandate for central rule, as nobody will be able to fit into the shoes of Modi.

Party sources said a final decision in this regard will only be taken by the central leadership after May 16 results.