Vijay Rupani to be Gujarat CM again, BJP workers celebrate across state

Incumbent Vijay Rupani will remain the chief minister of Gujarat as as he was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party in the the state, union minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

The elected MLAs of Gujarat BJP named Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

BJP workers celebrate in Rajkot, the home town of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani after he was elected leader of BJP legislature party, paving the way his second term as CM of Gujarat, in Rajkot on Friday. (Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)

Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel promised good governance to the people of Gujarat. “I want to give assurance to Gujarat public that I and Vijay Bhai will continue to work for the people with the help of other party members just like our previous government,” said Patel. (Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)

Talking about the poll results, Rupani said, “People have given us mandate for 27 years. It is a huge victory that public has shown faith in us all these years.” (Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)

The BJP won 99 seats in the 182-seats-Assembly in Gujarat. The party’s strength, however, now 100 in the assembly as independent MLA Ratansinh Rathod from Lunawada has extended his support. (Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)

Amit Shah had earlier said during the party’s poll campaign that the electoral battle will be fought under Rupani’s leadership. Rupani is known to be close to Shah and is seen as caste-neutral, qualities which may tilt the scales in his favour. (Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)

Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the BJP's face in Gujarat Assembly election campaign, Rupani, belonging to the relatively small Jain community, steered the party machinery in the state, surviving a violent quota stir by the Patidar community. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

Rupani, who worked mostly in the party organisation in Gujarat, fought his first Assembly election in 2014, winning a by-election from Rajkot West. This time he won from the same seat with an impressive margin of over 53,000 votes.(Express Photo: Chirag Chotaliya)