Why Saurabh Patel is best placed to be next Gujarat CM

The race for the new chief minister of Gujarat is getting interesting with every small development.

After announcing her decision to quit as the Gujarat chief minister on social media, the big "ben" of Gujarat politics officially submitted her resignation to governor OP Kohli on Wednesday (August 3).

With the BJP parliamentary board accepting Anandiben Patel's decision, and appointing Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey as central observers, the process of appointing the successor of Anandiben has gathered momentum.

Till Wednesday evening, two names that were doing the rounds were that of Gujarat health minister Nitin Patel and BJP Gujarat president and transport and water supply minister Vijay Rupani.

Also read - Two people in the fray to be next Gujarat CM: Tough call for Modi-Shah

But in a surprising change of events, Rupani hinted at opting himself out of the race. He pointed out his love for organisational work as a reason for his opting out.

Rupani, known for his troubleshooting skills had emerged as a frontrunner only because of that.

The job of the new chief minister is going to be tough, considering the complications before the BJP in the aftermath of the Patidar agitation and the thrashing of Dalits at Una.

Rupani was seen as the man who could have kept a balance between all sides. His withdrawal from the race has added another name in the race - Saurabh Patel.

Saurabh Patel currently holds numerous portfolios in the Gujarat government - energy and petrochemicals, mines and minerals, cottage industry, salt industry, printing, stationery, planning, tourism, civil aviation, finance and labour and employment.

Also read: Can BJP find its next Narendra Modi in Gujarat?

He is a strong contender for the post of the chief minister because of more reasons than one.

Here's why Saurabh Patel is a big contender for Gujarat's top job:

1. Compared to his rival Nitin Patel, Saurabh Patel, at 57 years, is relatively young and is seen as the urban face of the party. After the Patidar agitation, the BJP is Gujarat has been looking for leaders who could not only have an appeal across the state but also appeal to the youth who have largely been attracted to Hardik Patel, the leader of the Patidar agitation.

2. Saurabh Patel holds an MBA degree from the US and is seen as one of the highly qualified leaders in Gujarat politics.

Anandiben Patel while posting her desire to quit as the chief minister, had pointed towards the impending Vibrant Gujarat Summit next year. A leader like Saurabh Patel who enjoys excellent rapport with business houses has more edge over someone like Nitin Patel, who is considered a leader more of the rural hinterland.

3. Apart from his political connections, Saurabh Patel's individual connections may also work in his favour.

Saurabh Patel is married to the first cousin of Reliance tycoons Anil and Mukesh Ambani. This may also work in Saurabh Patel's favour.

The most important thing for the BJP now is the ability of the next chief minister to drive his party towards success in the next Assembly elections.

The ball is now in BJP national president Amit Shah's court. After all, it's the home state of not only Shah, but also Prime Minister Narendra Modi - BJPs' poster boy.

So to maintain the image of the party, the big eligibility criterion will be the ability of the new chief minister to retain the state. Saurabh or Nitin Patel, it's just a matter of time.