Godmother’s son Kandhal Jadeja to contest on NCP ticket

Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday announced names of candidates for nine constituencies, allocated to it by its alliance partner Congress.

NCP announced that Godmother Santokben Jadeja’s son, Kandhal Jadeja, will contest from Kutiyana seat. Kandhal has more than a dozen criminal cases pending against him. He will take on BJP strongman Karsan Odedara from the seat.

Kandhal had recently challenged his externment order issued by the administration from four districts of Saurashtra, including Porbandar, in Gujarat High Court saying the state government was pressurising him to help BJP in elections. HC has stayed the order till elections are over.

NCP’s Gujarat unit president Jayant Patel, who is sitting MLA from Sarsa, will contest from Umreth constituency. Sitting MLA from Gondal, Chandu Vaghasia, who recently was arrested in a water sector reforms project scam, has been nominated from the same seat. Party has nominated Pankaj Chauhan as its candidate from Devgadhbaria. Sitting NCP MLA from the seat, Tusharsinh Maharaul, recently joined BJP.

Chandu Thakkar will contest as NCP nominee from Vav constituency while Raghu Bharwad has been fielded from Shehra. Film actor Rajdeep will contest from Limbayat, Surat. Navin Patel will contest from Visnagar while Nilesh Patel will contest from Akota in Vadodara.

NCP had demanded 22 seats from Congress but settled for 11 seats. Congress managed to seal the deal at nine.