Ahead of assembly polls, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel offered her resignation and asked the BJP to nominate a new face as she is soon going to turn 75. The move is following the infighting in the party and huge disenchantment on the ground.

The Patel community has been protesting against her government and more recently the Dalits have risen in revolt against the atrocities on members of their community in the state.

The State’s first woman Chief Minister, who succeeded Narendra Modi on May 22, 2014, said in a Facebook post, that, “There has been a tradition in the party that those who attain the age of 75 voluntarily retire from the post. I will attain the age of 75 in November.”

“Two months ago, I had requested the party to relieve me from the post and today also through this letter, I request the party to relieve me,” Ms. Patel said.

“I am asking the party to relieve me two months in advance as the new Chief Minister will require time to settle down, especially when the State is going to face elections in 2017 and an important event like Vibrant Gujarat Summit is to be held in January,” she added.

The Hindu reported, according to the sources, the decision to drop Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel was taken earlier last month and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would decide her successor.

A senior party office-bearer said that, “The decision to dispense with Anandiben was taken at a meeting in New Delhi on July 17 presided over by Mr. Modi with BJP chief Amit Shah in attendance. This decision was also conveyed to her that evening.”

“We will be calling a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board to choose her replacement,” he said.

“It is well known that some leaders never accepted her authority and did everything to destabilise and dislodge her. A few senior leaders in the Cabinet never liked the fact they were overlooked and she was made the Chief Minister,” a source said.

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Nandini