BJP Gujarat in-charge Bhupender Yadav introduced the listing in New Delhi within the presence of Paatil, Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the celebration’s nationwide common secretary, Tarun Chugh. Yadav underlined that out of the 160 candidates declared, 13 are from Scheduled Castes and 24 from Scheduled Tribes (although all from reserved seats), whereas 14 are girls. On these 160 seats, 69 sitting MLAs have been repeated whereas 38 have been modified, he mentioned. At the very least 17 are Congress MLAs who defected to the BJP over the previous 5 years, 9 of them having received on Congress tickets in 2017.
“The BJP often modifications 20% of its MLAs. In an electoral democracy, change is critical, in any other case it’ll result in stagnation. Now we have given tickets to a number of children. This listing exhibits a generational shift within the Gujarat BJP,” Paatil advised PTI.
The younger leaders and contestants he went on to call had been Harsh Sanghavi from Majura, Kaushikbhai Kantibhai Vekariya from Amreli, Mahesh Kashwala from Savarkundla, and Janakbhai Punabhai Talaviya from Lathi.
A day earlier than the listing was introduced, the best way was cleared when seniors equivalent to Rupani, his deputy CM Nitin Patel and a minimum of 4 different ministers from his Cupboard (Pradeepsinh Jadeja, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, R C Faldu and Kaushik Patel), introduced that they’d opted out of the competition. Some despatched letters to Paatil declaring the identical.
Requested why these senior leaders weren’t contesting, Paatil mentioned: “They voluntarily determined to not combat. All of them have occupied prime posts, together with that of CM and Deputy CM. So now they wish to work for the organisation.”
Whereas Hardik, who can be contesting his first election (from Viramgam), is essentially the most notable Patidar within the BJP listing, there are different outstanding names from the neighborhood – significantly Ramesh Tilara (Rajkot South), who’s a trustee of the Shree Khodaldham Belief, whose head Naresh Patel was being wooed by all events. By the way, the Surat convenor of the belief, Dharmik Malaviya, is contesting on an Aam Aadmi Celebration (AAP) ticket from Surat.
On the ticket to cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s spouse Rivaba, from Jamnagar North, Paatil mentioned: “Rivaba has been actively working for the celebration within the constituency. All tickets have been given on the idea of winnability.”
The listing of these dropped contains Brijesh Merja, who had received from Morbi final time, and is a minister within the Bhupendra Patel authorities. The BJP has gone again to its veteran from the seat, Kanti Amrutiya, whose movies had surfaced rescuing those that fell into the water following the bridge collapse on October 30. The celebration is clearly anticipating the change to assist it combat the fallout from the 130-plus deaths.
Bhupendra Patel, who has the endorsement of the highest two within the BJP (Narendra Modi and Amit Shah), because the CM face – the celebration broke from follow to call him – can be contesting from Ghatlodia once more. He had received the seat final time with the very best margin of the election.
His ministerial colleague Purnesh Modi has been repeated from Surat West, although his main portfolio had been stripped in August. Rajendra Trivedi, the opposite minister who was downsized, although, has been dropped.
One other chief re-fielded is Godhra MLA C Ok Raulji, a six-term legislator, who joined the BJP in 2017 after quitting the Congress. Raulji was a part of the Godhra Jail Advisory Committee that granted remission to 11 convicts within the Bilkis Bano rape and homicide, and had referred to the launched convicts as “Brahmins with good sanskar”.
Another vital candidates given ticket embrace BJP Ahmedabad metropolis president and former mayor Amit Popatlal Shah (Ellisbridge constituency), Amit Thaker (Vejalpur), former minister Chiman Shapariya (Jamjodhpur), Pabubha Manek (Dwarka; his 2017 election was cancelled by the Gujarat Excessive Court docket), former minister and Congress turncoat Jawahar Chavda (Manavadar); and celebration spokesperson Mahesh Kaswala (Savarkundla).
Dalit non secular chief Shambhuprasad Tundiya has been given the ticket from Gadhada constituency, dropping Atmaram Parmar. Former minister Shankar Chaudhary is the BJP candidate from Tharad of Banaskantha district. In 2017, Chaudhary had contested from Vav constituency of Banaskantha and misplaced to the Congress’s Geniben Thakor.
In Ahmedabad, Jitendra Patel alias Bhagat has acquired the ticket from celebration bastion Naranpura, whereas former MLA Bhushan Bhatt and former standing committee chairman of Ahmedabad Municipal Company Amul Bhatt have been given celebration tickets from Jamalpur-Khadia and Maninagar constituencies respectively.
Former minister and veteran Dalit chief Ramanlal Vora will contest from Idar of Sabarkantha district. In 2017, Vora had misplaced to the Congress’s Naushad Solanki from Dasada. Vora replaces the BJP’s sitting MLA, Hitu Kanodiya, a identified Gujarati movie star and son of the late Naresh Kanodiya. Keshavlal Patel replaces the outgoing Meeting Speaker Nimaben Acharya, in Bhuj.
The Bahubali MLA from Waghodia constituency, Madhu Shrivastav, has been dropped and changed by Ashwin Patel. Shrivastav has threatened to contest as an Impartial.
The Cupboard minister and MLA from Asarva (SC) in Ahmedabad, Pradip Parmar, too has been dropped, for Darshana Vaghela. Darshana Vaghela is former Ahmedabad deputy mayor.
Additionally out is the sitting MLA from Matar in Kheda, Kesrisinh Solanki, who was listed as an accused within the October communal conflict in Undhela village. Kalpesh Parmar has been given a ticket from this seat.
In Anjar of Kutch district, veteran celebration MLA and former parliamentary secretary Vasan Ahir has been dropped. Trikambhai Chhanga has changed Ahir.
In Bharuch, sitting MLA Dushyant Patel has been dropped and changed by Ramesh Mistri.
Koli strongman and a frontrunner of the fishermen neighborhood, Parshottam Solanki, and his brother Hira Solanki have gotten tickets from Bhavnagar Rural and Rajula constituencies.
Within the prestigious seat of Rajkot West held by Rupani at present, the BJP has fielded Dr Darshita Shah. Whereas, on one other BJP bastion Mehsana, up to now held by Nitin Patel, the celebration has fielded Mukesh Dwarkadas Patel.
In Thasra, former MLA Ramsinh Parmar’s son Yogendra has been given an opportunity. Parmar, Chairman of Amul Dairy, had joined the BJP from the Congress in 2017.
A senior celebration chief mentioned that the emphasis of the excessive command appears to be on choosing these candidates who’ve labored within the organisation and have expertise of administration on the native degree.
Nevertheless, the BJP listing additionally contains a lot of Congress leaders who solely not too long ago joined the BJP.
Like tribal MLA Ashwin Kotwal, who resigned from the Congress in Could, and has now acquired the BJP ticket from Khedbrahma (ST) seat. And Rajendrasinh Rathava, who simply two days in the past resigned from the Congress alongside together with his father, veteran tribal MLA from Chhota Udepur Mohansinh Rathva. Rajendrasinh has acquired the BJP ticket from his father’s seat.
One other Congress turncoat, Ahir neighborhood chief and sitting Talala MLA Bhagwan Barad, who resigned simply Wednesday from the celebration, has been fielded by the BJP from his seat.
Different Congress-to-BJP beneficiaries embrace Harshad Ribadiya, Manilal Vaghela and Balvantsinh Rajput (from Visavadar, Vadgam and Sidhpur constituencies, respectively).
On AAP’s entry in Gujarat, Paatil mentioned “there is no such thing as a triangular contest in Gujarat”. “The combat is between the BJP and Congress. AAP is just not a problem for us. At greatest, it’ll lower votes of different events and can finally profit the BJP.”
(With PTI inputs)