Learnt about his promotion from the news: Guj CM’s wife

Hetal Patel, wife of Gujarat’s new CM

Hours after Bhupendra Patel took the baton from Vijay Rupani on Sunday, the new chief minister's wife Hetal said she has handed over her husband to Gujarat to serve the state and the nation. Patel, who is more popular as ‘Dada' in his close circle, is an MLA from Ghatlodiya in Ahmedabad. In a surprise move, BJP picked him as the successor to Rupani, who resigned from the top post on Saturday. Patel's family members and friends burst firecrackers and distributed sweets at his home and office to celebrate the news.

Hetal told mid-day, "We are too happy that with he is now the chief minister of Gujarat. Till he left home, we didn't have an inkling that he would become the CM. In the afternoon, I learnt about it when I watched the news. It was a big surprise for us. The party trusted him and we are sure that he will help the people." An elated Hetal, fondly called Hetalben by family members, continued, "Until now, he was handling our home well. Now, I'm sure he will handle the state with equal zeal. He is very passionate about work and I always felt he would get a big responsibility one day."

Outside Bhupendra Patel's office yesterday, party workers celebrated with firecrackers and sweets

She added, "I am thinking as a common person. As the CM, he should always help citizens. After so much struggle, he has reached this position. He has always kept the family together and I trust he will keep the people of Gujarat together." The CM's son Anuj Patel was equally thrilled. He said, "That my father has become the CM is a matter of great happiness for us. He has always worked for the people and will continue to do that. I trust him. We had no idea that he would be made the CM till we saw it in the news. We are too happy."