Lok Sabha polls: BJP fields fresh candidates from Gujarat

BJP's central election committee on Sunday announced four candidates for Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. The names of candidates for Patan, Anand, Chhota Udepur and Junagadh have been declared and there are several fresh faces. 

Party has retained only Junagadh sitting MP Rajesh Chudasama, a young leader from Koli community looking at the caste equations. The party was considering to drop Chudasama who is also a secretary in Gujarat BJP organisation, as he could not save any seat during assembly polls falling under Junagadh Lok Sabha seat.

However, party has to give up on the caste equation after Congress fielded senior leader from Koli community Punja Vansh. BJP was considering for Dinu Solanki, a Karadia community leader and former Junagadh MP, to contest the polls this time, but the plan had been dropped now.

The party dropped Patan MP, Liladhar Vaghela and gave ticket to Kheralu MLA and former parliamentary secretary Bharatji Dabhi for the contest. Dabhi will have direct face-off with Congress giant Jagdish Thakor here. The constituency is having dominance of Thakor (OBC) community voters. Aged and almost inactive Liladhar Vaghela is dropped.

On Anand seat, the BJP has given ticket to Mitesh alias Baka Patel, pulses mill owner as replacement of sitting MP Dilip Patel. Dilip Patel was facing great anti-incumbency being a non-active parliamentarian who could represent the voice of voters. The party chose a businessman Mitesh to field against Congress' former president in Gujarat Bharatsinh Solanki.

The BJP gave ticket to Patel community candidate on Anand seat as Patel votes are almost equal to OBC community in this region.

The party has also dropped Ramsinh Rathwa, sitting MP from Chhota Udepur seat that is reserved for schedule tribe. The BJP has fielded a woman candidate Gitaben Rathwa here to win the hearts of tribal woman voters across the eastern belt dominated by Adivasi(tribal) community in state, there are four Lok Sabha seats in state those are reserved for ST. Gitaben is the local leader and had served as vice president in Chhota Udepur District Panchayat.

The central committee also declared Jasa Barad as candidate for Talala assembly seat by polls. The seat fell vacant after the Gujarat assembly speaker had disqualified the Congress MLA Bhaga Barad after been sentenced imprisonment by local court in illegal mining case.

The BJP is yet to announce names for three seats in Gujarat yet that are Ahmedabad East, Surat and Mehsana. A candidate for assembly by-polls on Unjha seat also is not announced yet.

POLITICAL GAME

• Party dropped Patan MP, Liladhar Vaghela and gave ticket to Kheralu MLA and former parliamentary secretary Bharatji Dabhi for the LS polls. 
   
• On Anand seat, the BJP has given ticket to Mitesh alias Baka Patel, pulses mill owner as replacement of sitting MP Dilip Patel. 
   
• The BJP gave ticket to Patel community candidate on Anand seat as Patel votes are almost equal to OBC community in this region.
   
• The party has also dropped Ramsinh Rathwa, sitting MP from Chhota Udepur seat that is reserved for schedule tribe. The BJP has fielded a woman candidate Gitaben Rathwa here to win the hearts of tribal woman voters.