Bhupendra Patel replaces Vijay Rupani as CM: Damage control before Gujarat polls?

First-term MLA Bhupendra Patel was on Monday sworn in Gujarat chief minister, two days after Vijay Rupani’s surprise exit from the post, a year ahead of the Assembly polls.

Bhupendra Patel, unanimously elected BJP legislature party leader on Sunday, was sworn in as the state’s 17th chief minister by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

With state Assembly polls scheduled in December 2022, the BJP is banking on Patel, a Patidar, for poll victory. In the 2017 Assembly elections, BJP won 99 of the 182 seats and Congress got 77. So, is this damage control before Gujarat polls? Can changing CM beat anti-incumbency? Watch as paneliste debate.