NEW DELHI: Incumbent Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel will retain his post and take oath on December 12, said BJP Gujarat chief CR Patil on Thursday as the party seemed set to win an overwhelming majority in the 182-member assembly.
Thanking Gujarat for the victory, PM Narendra Modi tweeted that the people had "blessed politics of development".
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Gujarat Election Results 2022 Live UpdatesPatel defeated Congress's Amee Yajnik from Ghatlodia by a margin of nearly 2 lakh votes.
A dedicated party worker, who made his way up in the state politics from the municipality level, Patel was a surprise choice for the top post when the BJP decided to effect a regime change, replacing the entire ministry a year before the elections.
When the BJP decided to replace Vijay Rupani and bring in a Patel community face as the chief minister, Patel emerged the winner, leaving others, including the then deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, behind.
Prior to becoming the CM in September 2021, Bhupendra Patel was not a known face outside Ahmedabad and even within party circles.
The surprise choice of the party has in the last one year taken some tough decision to establish himself as the leader in Gujarat.
Born in Ahmedabad, Patel is an MLA from the Ghatlodia seat, previously held by former chief minister and now Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel.
He won the seat by over 1.17 lakh votes in 2017, the highest margin in that poll.
(With inputs from agencies)