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BJP releases 3rd list of candidates for Guj polls, Patels dominate again

Last Updated 20 November 2017, 09:17 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday morning announced names of 28 more candidates for forthcoming Assembly elections.

BJP, that had earlier announced names of 70 and 36 candidates in two phases. Unlike first two lists, the third list was mix of experience and youth. The party has also fielded as many as 15 Patels out of 28 candidates. The first list of 70 candidates too had 15 Patels as candidates from BJP.

Five candidates have been replaced in Surat, which was one of the biggest hubs of Patel quota stir.  The key person who has been replaced include Nanu Vanani from Surat. A diamond merchant, Vanani had been an open critic of Hardik Patel and PAAS.

Among the key exclusions in the third list include the name of senior BJP leader I K Jadeja, whose supporters had gathered at state BJP headquarters and sought his candidature from Dhrangadhra as he was denied ticket from Wadhwan. The party, however, rejected their claim and has fielded Jayrambhai Sonagara.

The Kodinar SC seat will now be contested by Dr Rambhai Vadher, replacing the sitting legislator Jethabhai Solanki, who had resigned from the party  on Saturday.

Vasuben Trivedi, a key minister and sister of Anandiben Patel too has not been fielded as a candidate as yet. She was a sitting legislator from Jamanagar. She has been replaced by R C Faldu.

The list includes sitting legislator and speaker of state legislative assembly, Raman Vora, who has been fielded from scheduled caste (SC) reserved seat of Dasada, instead of his earlier constituency of Idar.

Sitting legislator and former cabinet minister Saurabh Patel who will contest from Botad. Saurabh Patel had earlier contested from Botad in the previous term and is currently sitting legislator from the Akota constituency. He had fallen out of favour and dropped as a minister when Vijay Rupani took over as chief minister last year.

Another former minister Govindbhai Patel has been chosen as the candidate from his sitting seat Rajkot (south), while Virendrasinh Jadeja would take on national Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohel, who has moved his constituency from Abdasa to Mandvi in Kutch this time.

The BJP is learnt to have informed most of the candidates beforehand telephonically and even contacted some leaders who have been denied tickets. This has been done primarily to avoid any untoward scenes of protests seen at party headquarters in last two days.

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(Published 20 November 2017, 08:44 IST)

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