Anandiben Patel to submit resignation to Guv today evening

 With the BJP Parliamentary Board accepting her resignation, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel will submit her papers to the Governor this evening, a senior state BJP leader said.

Patel, meanwhile, issued advertisements in newspapers here today listing the works done during her two-year tenure.

"Anandiben Patel will submit her resignation this evening to the Governor. All the ministers and other leaders will accompany her," state party in-charge Dinesh Sharma told reporters.

Patel, who was in the midst of several challenges, announced her decision on Facebook to step down on Monday, saying it was time for new leadership to take over as she was soon going to turn 75.

The party's parliamentary board met in New Delhi today and accepted her resignation.
Sharma said BJP president Amit Shah will arrive here tomorrow and start the process of consultation on who will be the new chief minister.

"Observers appointed by the BJP's parliamentary board -- Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey -- will be called. They and Amit Shah will take a final decision on who will be the chief minister. State BJP legislature party meeting will be called and the name will be announced in it," Sharma said on the process of selecting new chief minister.

He refused to give any names of contenders for the post and only said, "A party worker will be chosen as the next chief minister."

However, the names doing the rounds as potential successor to Patel include the 'number two' in the Cabinet and state Health Minister Nitin Patel, state BJP chief Vijay Rupani, Union minister Purshottam Rupala and Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava, who is a tribal leader.

Meanwhile, advertisements today appeared in local newspapers in which Anandiben Patel listed various decisions taken by her during the last two years to take the state's development march forward.