AHMEDABAD: Senior Gujarat minister Anandiben Patel, always the heir apparent to Narendra Modi , is expected to be formally anointed chief minister on Wednesday. Modi will relinquish office earlier in the day at a one-day special session of the Gujarat assembly, marking the end of an era in Gujarat politics of over 12 years.Modi will address the House in the forenoon on Wednesday when he will formally lay down office. In the afternoon, the BJP legislature party will meet to elect a new leader where decks have been cleared for Anandiben.As expected, there were murmurs of discontent from certain quarters of the BJP leadership and these were communicated to RSS seniors and BJP leaders associated with Gujarat. Modi’s hero in Uttar Pradesh, Amit Shah, is among those said to be unhappy with the choice.The names of other probables like Vajubhai Vala, Nitin Patel and party general secretary Bhikhubhai Dalsania – who seems to have RSS backing – were also tossed around. But it has been made very apparent that Modi’s decision on Anandiben was final.At present the minister for revenue, roads and buildings and urban development, Anandiben would ensure continuity in governance, although she may lack Modi’s charisma. That she would succeed Modi was apparent when she was made chairperson of the group of ministers – the others being Nitin Patel, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Saurabh Patel – to run the show in Modi’s absence when he was campaigning.This was despite Nitin Patel, who threw in his hat being designated officially as No. 2 in the cabinet. But the smooth changeover will leave a vacuum in Gujarat’s politics, given the complete domination of Modi over the scene since October 2001.