Film actor and Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha MP Paresh Rawal will not contest the forthcoming general polls, Gujarat state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani said on Saturday.
Earlier, Rawal tweeted he had informed the party "months in advance" that he would not contest the April-May Lok Sabha polls.
"Paresh Rawal ji has conveyed to the party that he will not contest the elections. In the last five years, despite being very busy as an actor, he has given time for his constituency. He will continue to work for the party," Vaghani told reporters here today.
In a tweet, Rawal said, "I request media and friends not to speculate about my nomination. I had informed the party months in advance of my decision to not contest LS elections. I, however, remain a loyal member of BJP and a staunch supporter of @narendramodi."
Rawal had won from Ahmedabad East in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by over 3.25 lakh votes.
The Congress on its part has routinely alleged that Rawal was not devoting enough time to his constituency amid his film commitments.
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