Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel , who has been facing sharp criticism for the way she handled the Patel quota stir and the recent Dalit protests, resigned on Monday citing the age factor.
Patel broke the news first in her Facebook post saying she wanted to be relieved of her charges before she turned 75 - the age limit for ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet - this November.
Shortly afterwards Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah said that her resignation letter has been forwarded to the party's Parliamentary Board for further action.
Top BJP sources said she is now likely to take charge as Governor of Punjab.
I am going to be 75 years old in November. The very important Vibrant Gujarat Summit is being held in January 2017 and elections are due later in the year. It is good for a new leadership to organise and plan these two big events. Two months ago, I had sought to be relieved, [name]Anandiben Patel[/name]
"I have been a committed BJP worker for the past 30 years. I am indebted to the leadership to have elevated me from Mahila Morcha to Chief Minister. I have been in charge of important departments in the government for the past 18 years. I am going to be 75 years old in November. The very important Vibrant Gujarat Summit is being held in January 2017 and elections are due later in the year. It is good for a new leadership to organise and plan these two big events. Two months ago, I had sought to be relieved," Patel said in her FB post.
"I have done everything possible to serve the people of Gujarat. I am grateful towards BJP for the amount of responsibilities I have been trusted with over time," she said.
News18's Power Circuit predicted last month that Anandiben would soon have to make way for another CM before BJP gets into poll mode in the state.
Reacting to the news, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Your resignation is a result of AAP's popularity in Gujarat, BJP is not confident in Gujarat."
Earlier, a couple of ministers in Madhya Pradesh including senior BJP leader Babubal Gaur and Sartaj Singh were dropped from the state cabinet by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan due to age bar.
The BJP had fared poorly in in the rural civic bodies polls in December 2015, which was considered as a major loss for her as opposition Congress was able to put up a good showing after almost 25 years in the state.
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