The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has retained power in Gujarat, has received the 'unconditional support' of an Independent MLA Ratansinh Rathod and brought its number to 100 in the state assembly.
Rathod was a Congress member of Mahisagar district panchyat.
The BJP had registered a sixth straight Assembly poll win in the key western state on December 18, winning 99 seats in the 182-member House.
Though the Congress performed its best in many years, winning 77 seats, it could not unseat the BJP.
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Lunawada MLA Ratansinh Rathod wrote to Gujarat Governor OP Kohli declaring his support to the BJP and also came to BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar to participate in the meeting of its newly elected MLAs to elect their leader.
"I have declared unconditional support to BJP," Rathod told reporters in Gandhinagar.
"I have given outside support and as of now I have not joined the BJP," he said in reply to a question.
In his letter to the governor, Rathod has said he extends his unconditional support to the BJP government.
"I had asked for ticket from the Congress party, but they did not gave it so I had to contest as an independent," Rathod said.
Rathod is one of the two independent MLAs who have won in the recently concluded assembly polls.
In another development later in the day, incumbent Vijay Rupani was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party in Gujarat, and will be the state's chief minister for a second term.
The legislators unanimously elected Rupani as leader of the BJP's legislature party, Jaitley told reporters. He said Patel was elected as deputy leader in the House.
Jaitley said the date for the swearing-in will be announced separately.
Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will continue to be the second in command, after he was declared the deputy leader of the legislature party by Jaitley, the central observer appointed by the BJP leadership for the election.
(With inputs from Agencies)
