Amit Shah arrives in city, holds talks to choose new CM

BJP national president Amit Shah today arrived in the city and initiated talks with party leaders at his residence as a part of an exercise to finalise the name of the successor of Anandiben Patel, who resigned as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
State BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma and party treasurer Surendra Patel met Shah this morning upon his arrival here. The other top state leaders and ministers are expected to meet him in the evening.
Anandiben had yesterday submitted her resignation to the Governor, after the party's parliamentary board in Delhi accepted her offer to resign, paving way for selection of a new Chief Minister for the BJP-ruled Gujarat, to lead the party in the 2017 state Assembly polls.

Ahead of her resignation, Sharma engaged in hectic consultation with top BJP leaders and ministers in Gandhinagar over selection of the next CM.
Sharma told media persons that BJP legislature party meeting in the presence of state observers will decide the name of the next Chief Minister by Friday.
Though suspense still prevails about the next CM, the names doing rounds as potential successor to Patel include the 'number two' in the Cabinet and Health Minister Nitin Patel, Union Minister Purshottam Rupala and Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava, a tribal leader.

State BJP chief Vijay Rupani's name was earlier in the contention but he indicated yesterday that he is not in the race as he is happy with his current task.

Shah lauded the functioning of BJP-led states which he
said are trying to excel in various fields.
"While few states are trying to excel on water problem, other are trying to excel in power generation or cereal production etc...However Uttar Pradesh government is establishing record in crimes," he alleged.
Presenting data on murders and rapes in UP he said while 13 murders on an average are taking place in a single day, 33 rape incidents are taking place on an average daily.
He cited example of few girls of UP who had met him in Delhi when he was general secretary of the party and told him that they were studying in Delhi since they were unsafe in UP.

"Anti-Romeo squads would be formed to protect the girls if BJP is voted to power," he declared.
He also alleged that goons of SP had taken possession of government as well as private land.
"Nobody is listening to complaints of unauthorised possession of land by goons of SP," he alleged.
Shah criticised UP government for rampant corruption in recruitment of class III and class IV jobs saying jobs are given on the basis of caste and religion.
"There would be no interview system for class III and class IV jobs, when BJP government would come to power these jobs would be filled on merit basis without interviews," he declared amid thunderous clapping.

He expressed concern about improving the lot of farmers.
"The loan of farmers would not only be waived off but farmers would take interest free loans in future if BJP comes to power," he stated adding that the paddy of the farmer would also be purchased on "Samarthan Mulya" (support price).
Free education for girls upto graduation, free laptop with 1 GB internet to students, opening of 25 medical and 80 engineering colleges in the state, improving the plight of river Yamuna, curbing lawlessness among others were the other announcements Shah made on the occasion.