Vijay Rupani

About

Vijaybhai Ramniklal Rupani is an Indian politician who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021. Born on August 2, 1956, in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), Rupani's family relocated to Rajkot, Gujarat, when he was a child. He began his public life early as a student activist with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), eventually spending time in jail during the 1975 Emergency. Rupani rose through the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), serving as the Mayor of Rajkot from 1996 to 1997. His political career expanded as he served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2012. He won the Rajkot West constituency in a 2014 by-election and subsequently served in the Gujarat state cabinet, holding portfolios such as transport, water supply, labor, and employment. In August 2016, following the resignation of Anandiben Patel, Rupani was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He led the BJP to victory in the 2017 Gujarat legislative assembly elections, retaining his position. Throughout his tenure, he focused on administrative reforms, infrastructure development, and industrial growth in the state. In a surprising political move, Rupani resigned from the Chief Minister's post in September 2021, making way for Bhupendra Patel. He remains a prominent senior figure within the BJP, recognized for his organizational skills and strong roots in the Saurashtra region.

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