BJP rebel MLA Kalsaria fields six candidates

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rebel MLA Kanubhai Kalsaria and five of his supporters on Friday filed nomination papers for Gujarat assembly elections under the banner of recently-floated ‘Sadbhavana Manch’.

A sitting member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Mahuva, Kalsaria is going to contest from Gariyadhar in Bhavnagar district. After launching a successful agitation against state government’s nod to Nirma Cement factory in Mahuva, Bhavnagar, Kalsaria floated his own outfit. He had voted against BJP-supported candidate in the presidential election.

Others from the Manch who filed the nomination papers on Friday were Shivrajsinh (Savarkundla), Narsinh Chauhan (Rajula), Bharat Thakar (Mahuva), Dr Manhar Baldania (Talaja) and Prakash Patel (Choryasi).

Congress and Keshubhai Patel’s GPP, with who Kalsaria was in talks for seat-sharing arrangement, have maintained silence on whether they would support Kalsaria’s candidature. Saturday is the last day for filing of nominations for first phase of elections.