The Bharatiya Janata Party is considering replacing Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, NDTV reported, quoting sources. The move, if it materialises, will be a part of a larger plan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for the Assembly elections in Gujarat next year, the report said. Nitinbhai Patel is believed to be one of the people being considered by the party for the top post. Nitinbhai is a senior minister who holds several key portfolios, including health, in the state government.

Anandiben might be appointed as a Governor to Punjab or Haryana, reported The Telegraph. The Patel agitation for reservation could be one of the reasons for the BJP to doubt her ability to spearhead the party when the state goes to the polls next year. The party is believed to have blamed Anandiben for failing to contain the protests. The 75-year-old became the chief minister of the state after Narendra Modi vacated the post to become the prime minister of the country in 2014. Age might also have played a key role in the decision, as Modi implemented an age limit for leaders to be active in the political ongoings of the party.