Former CM Vijay Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel will not contest upcoming assembly elections

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and former Deputy CM Nitin Patel will not contest the upcoming assembly elections. Both these senior leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday night announced not to contest next month's assembly elections. News agency PTI has given this information. The statement by both the senior party leaders comes at a time when the Central Parliamentary Board of the BJP is meeting to finalize the names of candidates for the elections to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Talking to reporters in Rajkot, former CM Rupani said, 'I have decided not to contest elections this time. I worked as Chief Minister for five years with everyone's cooperation. New workers should be given responsibility in the upcoming elections. He said that I have informed senior leaders in this regard by sending a letter to Delhi. We will work together to make the chosen candidate win. News agency ANI has given this information. It is to be known that the sitting MLA of 66 years, Rupani was the Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021.

Former Deputy CM Patel wrote a letter to Gujarat BJP President CR Patil informing him about his decision. He said in a hand-written letter to CR Patil that his name should not be considered for ticket from Mehsana, his current assembly seat. He said in this letter that we have decided not to contest the upcoming assembly elections.

The other two leaders, who were senior ministers in Rupani's cabinet, have announced that they will not contest the upcoming assembly elections. State party spokesperson Yamal Vyas said that two other BJP leaders Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Pradeepsinh Jadeja have decided not to contest the elections. Both these senior leaders are sitting MLAs. Voting for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly elections will be held on December 1 and 5 and the counting of votes will take place on December 8.