Gujarat finance minister Nitin Patel says he is ready to be Chief Minister if party asks him
Ahmedabad:
At a time Narendra Modi is being seen as a frontrunner for Prime Minister, the race has begun to fill a possible vacancy in Gujarat, the state he has ruled since 2001.
Mr Modi's senior most minister Nitin Patel has said he is willing to be Chief Minister. He joins two other contenders, Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel and Amit Shah, Mr Modi's close aide, who is currently in charge of the BJP's campaign in Uttar Pradesh. (Also Read: Outrage Over Modi Aide Amit Shah's Comment)
"I will take the responsibility if my party offers it to me. Who wouldn't be willing?" Nitin Patel, Mr Modi's Finance Minister, told NDTV.
Reports suggest Anandiben Patel tops the list of possible successors to Mr Modi in Gujarat.
She is the only woman candidate to be elected as an MLA for four straight terms and has been cabinet minister for three of them.
Nitin Patel insisted that he was "not in the race", but appeared to list why he has all the qualities to be Chief Minister. (India Votes 2014: Full Coverage)
"I have been in politics for 37 years. I am an MLA since 1990 and have been a minister for 15 years. I've handled many departments. Even when we were in the opposition, I have been the MLA. I have worked for the party for years. So whatever the party decides, in terms of responsibility for anybody...we will all accept, not just me. We all work according to the discipline of the party," Mr Patel said. (India Votes 2014: Schedule | Candidates)
The BJP, led by Mr Modi, is widely expected to score its best performance in the national election which ends on May 12. Mr Modi is on his fourth term as Chief Minister of Gujarat. (Also Read: It Will be Congress' Worst Performance, BJP's Best, Says Modi)
Mr Modi's senior most minister Nitin Patel has said he is willing to be Chief Minister. He joins two other contenders, Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel and Amit Shah, Mr Modi's close aide, who is currently in charge of the BJP's campaign in Uttar Pradesh. (Also Read: Outrage Over Modi Aide Amit Shah's Comment)
"I will take the responsibility if my party offers it to me. Who wouldn't be willing?" Nitin Patel, Mr Modi's Finance Minister, told NDTV.
Reports suggest Anandiben Patel tops the list of possible successors to Mr Modi in Gujarat.
She is the only woman candidate to be elected as an MLA for four straight terms and has been cabinet minister for three of them.
Nitin Patel insisted that he was "not in the race", but appeared to list why he has all the qualities to be Chief Minister. (India Votes 2014: Full Coverage)
"I have been in politics for 37 years. I am an MLA since 1990 and have been a minister for 15 years. I've handled many departments. Even when we were in the opposition, I have been the MLA. I have worked for the party for years. So whatever the party decides, in terms of responsibility for anybody...we will all accept, not just me. We all work according to the discipline of the party," Mr Patel said. (India Votes 2014: Schedule | Candidates)
The BJP, led by Mr Modi, is widely expected to score its best performance in the national election which ends on May 12. Mr Modi is on his fourth term as Chief Minister of Gujarat. (Also Read: It Will be Congress' Worst Performance, BJP's Best, Says Modi)
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