A day after changing candidates from three Patidar dominated seats under pressure from the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), the Congress replaced one more candidate on Tuesday.
The Congress, which had earlier named Manhar Patel as its nominee from Botad, replaced him with DM Patel as its candidate from the seat, hours before the deadline for filing of nominations was to end.
DM Patel, who is president of Botad District Congress is pitted against BJP candidate and four-time MLA Saurabh Patel in poll battle from Botad. The Congress nominee is also chairman of Botad Marketing Yard, and is a farmer and oil miller by profession. He is expected to pose a good challenge to Saurabh Patel, who too is seeking to resurrect his political career.
A powerful minister during Narendra Modi's days as chief minister, Saurabh Patel was dropped from the ministry when Vijay Rupani became the CM in August last year. He was also sidelined within the party. He had won from Botad seat in 1998, 2002 and 2007, but had changed his constituency and contested from Akota seat in 2012 elections. However, strong opposition from within Vadodara BJP has led to the 59-year-old being shifted back to his original seat.
The Congress changed candidates from Varachha Road, Kamrej and Junagadh on Monday in the wake of violent protests by PAAS over denial of tickets to some of its nominees, and fielded former MLA Dhiru Gajera, Ashok Jirawala, and Bhikha Joshi from the three seats respectively.
State Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki said that there was nothing unusual about changing some candidates.
"Some of the candidates were replaced as a part of change in strategy. The decision was taken on the basis of feedback received from party leaders," Solanki said.
PIYUSH DESAI IS BJP NOMINEE FROM NAVSARI
The BJP named sitting MLA Piyush Desai as its candidate from Navsari seat, which will go to polls in the first phase on December 9. The party had until Monday declared candidates from 88 out of 89 seats that face polls in the first phase. Desai's name was declared on Monday even as the last day for filing nominations was Tuesday. Desai will face-off against Congress candidate Bhavna Patel.
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