BJP rushes with candidate selection for Ahmedabad-East

Time slipped out of BJP's hands as less than 24 hours before the deadline for filing nominations for Lok Sabha polls, the ruling party was struggling to find a candidate for the Ahmedabad East seat on Wednesday. Party leaders held marathon meetings on Wednesday with prospective candidates.

BJP Gujarat in-charge Om Mathur called all probable candidates, CK Patel from Vishv Umiya Foundation, Thakkarbapanagar MLA and diamond trader Vallabh Kakadiya and Nikol MLA and OBC leader Jagdish Panchal for discussions. Party sources said that CK Patel could be the chosen one.

Congress has fielded Hardik Patel's colleague in PAAS and the quota agitation's female face Gita Patel from this seat and as such, made it necessary for the BJP to field a Patel leader to keep the largest voters' chunk on their side.

CK Patel is the convener of Patel community organisation Vishv Umiya Foundation, which is going to prepare a social hub for the community in ten years at the expense of Rs 1,000 crore. PM Narendra Modi was present at the foundation-laying ceremony of the same last month when he praised Patel as a very docile and naive person.

A senior party leader said, "CK Patel's name is almost decided but official confirmation is required yet. No one can make any contention on the same until the announcement is made."

On the other side, party in-charge Mathur held discussions for by polls over the Unjha assembly constituency too. Sources confirmed that Mathur talked to Dr Asha Patel and her name was finalised.

Dr Asha came with her supporters at the party headquarters, Shri Kamalam. She had resigned as a Congress MLA from Unjha and had joined the BJP later. However, she is facing rebellion from the party's veteran leader and former MLA Naran Patel. BJP's faction supporting Naran also reached Shri Kamalam in the evening to express their dismay against the party's possible decision of giving a ticket to Dr Asha.