BJP on Monday released the sixth list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, declaring nominees for all 182 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released the sixth list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, declaring nominees for all 182 seats. The last date for filing nominations for the second phase of Assembly polls is today.
In its final list, the BJP has repeated a dozen MLAs, while dropping four, including a minister.
The BJP has nominated former minister Kaushik Patel from Naranpura seat, which fell vacant recently after party president Amit Shah moved to Rajya Sabha.
The party has nominated Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) chairman Bhupendra Patel as the candidate from Ghatlodia seat, which former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel had won with a record margin of 1.10 lakh votes in 2012. Anandiben is not contesting the elections this year.
Six sitting MLAs from Ahmedabad city also figure in the list. They include Kishor Chauhan from Vejalpur, Rakesh Shah (Ellisbridge), Jagrupsinh Rajput (Bapunagar), Hasmukh Patel (Amraiwadi), Suresh Patel (Maninagar) and Arvind Patel (Sabarmati). Earlier, BJP had renominated Pradipsinh Jadeja (Vatva), Bhushan Bhatt (Jamalpur Khadia) and Jagdish Panchal (Nikol) from their existing seats.
Former IAS officer RM Patel, who had won in 2012, however, failed to find a place in the list. BJP has fielded Pradip Parmar as its candidate from Asarwa (SC) seat in his place.
Former MLA Bharat Barot, who had lost in 2012, will once again face against Congress legislator Gyasuddin Sheikh from Dariapur seat.
The BJP has fielded Jitu Vaghela, a new face from the Danilimda (SC) seat.
Industries minister Rohit Patel, who was elected from Anand seat in 2014 by-elections, too failed to find a place in the list.
Nagarji Thakor, MLA from Radhanpur, and Limkheda (ST) MLA Vichhiya Bhuriya, were the other two MLAs who missed out.
Some of the other MLAs who have been renominated are Rushikesh Patel (Visnagar), former home minister Rajni Patel (Becharaji), Ashok Patel (Gandhinagar North), Shambhuji Thakor (Gandhinagar South), Madhubhai Shrivastav (Waghodia) and Jitu Sukhadiya (Sayajigunj).
Senior leader and former minister Jaynarayan Vyas, who was pretty much sidelined after losing in 2012, has been named from Siddhpur seat. Vyas had lost to Congress candidate Balvantsinh Rajput in the last elections. Rajput joined the BJP recently, and had unsuccessfully contested the Rajya Sabha elections in August.
Atul Patel, who had lost from Kalol in 2012, and Kanu Dabhi, who had lost from Kapadvanj, have been given another chance.
BJP has nominated former Congress MLA Tejshri Patel as its candidate from Viramgam seat.
The list has more than a dozen new faces.
The BJP had released its fifth list of 13 candidates for the second phase on Friday.
The Congress, which is seeking to dislodge the BJP from power in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, also released its third list of 76 candidates for the second phase late last night.
The polling for the two-phase elections in Gujarat will take place on December 9 and 14 and votes will be counted on December 18.
Eighty-nine seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region are going to polls in the first phase while the remaining 93 seats in central and northern region would go for polls in the second phase.
Meanwhile, PM Modi today launched a campaign blitzkrieg in Gujarat where he will address eight rallies on 27 and 29 November in different parts of Saurashtra and South Gujarat.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Modi-PTI-Gujarat")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}