CM Vijay Rupani to file nomination on Mon

A host of events and celebrations have been planned in Rajkot on Monday when chief minister Vijay Rupani will file his nomination papers for the upcoming assembly election. Rupani has been nominated as the BJP candidate from Rajkot West constituency.

The BJP said its candidates from all four seats of Rajkot will file nomination papers under the CM’s leadership during Vijay Muhurat on Monday. Finance minister and BJP’s Gujarat election in-charge Arun Jaitley will also be present.

Rupani and the other nominees will proceed for filing their nominations in the form of a procession after paying floral tributes to Sardar Patel’s statue and seeking his blessings.

“The filing of nominations from Rajkot will kick off BJP’s Vijayotsav in the upcoming elections,” state BJP spokesperson Raju Dhruv, who is from Rajkot, said.

Dhruv said it is a matter of pride for Rajkot that the CM is contesting from the city, and said several events have been organised to mark the occasion.

“We have organised various programmes near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue in Rajkot at 10:30am on Monday. The whole area around the venue has been decked up for the occasion. A band from Nashik and a live orchestra will perform and entertain people. Artistes from Tarnetar will remain present in their traditional costumes,” he said.

While Congress has not yet announced its list of candidates, it is widely expected that sitting MLA from Rajkot East, Indranil Rajguru, will be its nominee against Rupani from Rajkot West seat.

Almost taking a cue from Narendra Modi’s Chai Pe Charcha campaign, the Congress MLA has launched ‘Coffee with Congress’ as a public outreach programme.