Lok Sabha polls 2024: Who is Nilesh Kumbhani, the Congress candidate whose candidature got rejected in Surat?

Nilesh Kumbhani, a Leuva Patel leader known for his involvement in the Patidar reservation agitation, rose to political prominence through his association with Hardik Patel.

The rejection of Nilesh Kumbhani's candidacy for the Surat Lok Sabha seat dealt a blow to the Congress party. His bid for the Surat seat hit a roadblock after his nomination was rejected from the seat following the district returning officer prima facie found discrepancies in the signature of the proposers.

The rejection of Suresh Padsala's nomination form, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, further weakened the grand old party in Gujarat, pushing them out of contest in the electoral fray.

This paved the way for the BJP candidate in the Surat Lok Sabha seat an easy walkover in the ongoing general elections, handing the saffron party its first victory without even a single vote cast.

Who was Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and what made the grand old party choose him for this seat to fight this election?

Nilesh Kumbhani, a Leuva Patel leader known for his involvement in the Patidar reservation agitation, gained his political prominence through his association with Hardik Patel, reported The Indian Express. Kumbhani is said to have played an active role in the protests, seeking quota for Patidars in government jobs and education.

According to the publication, Nilesh Kumbhani, who has so far won only a municipal election before the Congress fielded him from the Surat Lok Sabha seat, hails from Amreli district and amassed his fortune in Surat, primarily through real estate and land brokerage.

Although Kumbhani had tried his luck in getting a ticket earlier as well from the Congress for the general elections, the publication noted that the grand old party decided to field him from Surat in this election citing the significant Patidar voter base. “As there are over 6.50 lakh Patidar voters in this seat of a total of 18 lakh voters," the publication quoted Surat Congress president Dhansukh Rajput as saying.

Kumbhani had filed three nomination forms for the Surat Lok Sabha seat. Despite filing multiple nomination forms with different proposers, Kumbhani's bid ultimately faltered.