Jitu Vaghani is new Gujarat BJP chief

New Delhi, Aug 10: Gujarat BJP today appointed Jitu Vaghani, an MLA from Bhavnagar West constituency and a Patel, as its state unit president in place of Vijay Rupani who became the Chief Minister recently.

"Jitu Vaghani has been appointed as president of state BJP," party spokesperson Harshad Patel said. Vaghani, 46, a relatively young Patel face of BJP, was earlier state unit's youth wing president.

He has also worked as secretary of the party state unit in the past. Vaghani belongs to Leuva Patel community among Patels. His name was finalised by party president Amit Shah today, and central party communicated it to the state unit, which declared it here.

Vaghani won the election as an MLA for the first time in 2012. In 2007, he had lost against Congress's Shaktisinh Gohil. Vaghani has apparently been chosen as party state unit president as BJP has made non-Patel leader Vijay Rupani chief minister of the state.

Rupani belongs to the Jain community. While the newly-appointed Deputy Chief minister Nitin Patel belongs to Kadva sub-caste of Patels, Vaghani is from Leuva Patel sub-caste.

The BJP has chosen Vaghani apparently to give a message to Patel community, who are agitating for reservation in the state for last one year.

PTI