Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has slammed Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel for spreading “rumours” regarding his resignation. Mr. Patel told reporters on Thursday that Mr. Rupani had resigned at a Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday and will be replaced with soemone from the Patidar or Kshatriya community. I have not resigned and there is no question of anybody’s resignation..,” Mr. Rupani said.
In a sensational claim on Thursday, the 24 year old Hardik Patel told media persons that Mr. Rupani resigned in a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday and a new CM either from the Patidar community or from Kshatriya community will be selected as his replacement. “Very soon there will be new CM as Rupani has resigned” Mr. Patel told media persons.
“There is no truth in what is being rumoured or speculated. I have not resigned and there is no question of anybody’s resignation as people have given us mandated in the assembly polls,” Mr. Rupani said, breaking his silence on sustained speculations in a section of media regarding his resignation.
Nitin Patel too rubbishes Hardik's claim
Mr. Patel’s claim on CM’s resignation in the cabinet meeting forced the Chief Minister and his deputy Nitin Patel to break their silence. “It seems Hardik does not even know the system that a resignation is not submitted in a cabinet meeting as he has claimed,” Mr .Rupani said, calling him a “Congress agent.”
Mr. Rupani’s Deputy Nitin Patel also rubbished the quota leader’s claim and scotched all speculations about any change in the BJP government in the state. “Such speculations and rumours are being spread on media to damage the credibility of BJP government,” Deputy CM said from .New Delhi where he was participating in Health Ministers’ conclave.
Though both leaders have strongly refuted all speculations being circulated on social media platforms and also Mr Hardik Patel’s claim, some party insiders don’t rule out the hand of some “disgruntled elements” from within the party.
“I don’t thing any political development in the state at least till next parliamentary polls but the fact remains that some elements are on the job to float theories and speculations,” a senior party leader from Delhi told The Hindu.