Nitin Patel set to be Gujarat's new Chief Minister: media reports

Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel seems to be inching closer to becoming the next Chief Minister of Gujarat, according to media reports. An official announcement is likely to be made this evening.

The Gujarat BJP legislature party will hold a meeting in Gandhinagar today, and it will be presided by Amit Shah in the presence of two others - Nitin Gadkari and general secretary Saroj Pande. The new CM of Gujarat may be finalised in the meeting.

Shah has been camping in Gujarat holding several parleys with office bearers to settle on a name following Anandiben Patel resignation on Wednesday.

Earlier, BJP's Parliamentary Board accepted Anandiben Patel's offer to resign, paving the way for the appointment of a new chief minister to lead the party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls. She is currently acting as the caretaker chief minister till the state gets her successor, as per the Governor's instruction.

The names that are doing the rounds for the post are: Gujarat health minister Nitin Patel, Union Minister Purshottam Rupala and Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava, a tribal leader.

Read More: Here are the top 3 contenders for Gujarat Chief Minister's post