Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has resigned, paving the way for change of guard in Gujarat where the ruling BJP will be facing crucial Assembly polls next year.

Mr. Rupani met the Governor Acharya Devrat and submitted his resignation. “I have resigned after conveying my wishes to the party leadership to let me work in the organisation,” Mr. Rupani said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the party high command for giving him an opportunity to be the CM for a little over five years in Gujarat.

The party is likely to announce his replacement by evening as the BJP general secretary B. L. Santosh is understood to have been holding meetings at the State party headquarters.

The ruling party had been contemplating to effect a change of guard in Gujarat given the apparent lacklustre administration of C.M. Rupani, whose performance was not as per the expectations of the party high command.

Mr. Rupani had taken over as the Chief Minister in August 2016 after the sudden resignation of the then C. M. Anandiben Patel, who is now the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.