Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, ex-deputy CM Nitin Patel won’t contest elections

Gujarat Elections 2022: Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel on Wednesday announced that they will not contest the upcoming state assembly elections.

Rupani said that he worked as the chief minister for five years with everyone’s cooperation and now the responsibility should be given to new workers. “I won’t contest the poll, I sent a letter to seniors and conveyed it to Delhi. We will work to make chosen candidate win,” he said. 

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Rupani served as the chief minister from 7 August 2016 to 13 September 2021. He was succeeded by sitting chief minister Bhupendra Patel. 

Former Deputy CM Nitin Patel also said that he will not contest the elections. He also served as deputy CM for five years from August 2016 to September 2021. 

Besides these two senior leaders, two other senior leaders – Pradipsinh Jadeja and Bhupendrasinh Chudasama – said that they won’t enter the fray this time.    

Four-time MLA from Vatva, Pradipsinh said that he had been given a great opportunity by the party to work as a legislator and also as a minister in the state cabinet. “I do not voluntarily wish to contest in the next assembly elections 2022,” he said. 

Pradipsinh said in the coming days, he will gladly accept the responsibility for the work that will be assigned to him by the party.

Senior BJP MLA Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said he will not fight the elections and he has expressed it to the senior leaders of the party. “I have decided other workers should get an opportunity. I have fought the elections 9 times till now. I express my gratitude to the party,” he added.

Gujarat will go to polls in two phases – December 1 and 5.