Faced with the prospect of anti-incumbency in upcoming Gujarat elections, the ruling BJP has denied tickets to as many as 38 sitting MLAs, picking 69 of the incumbent lawmakers in its first list of candidates.
The list of 160 candidates out of a total 182 was released by Union minister Bhupendra Yadav on Thursday. Notable names missing in the first list include former chief minister Vijay Rupani, former deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, former minister RC Faldu and senior leader Pradipsinh Jadeja.
Releasing the list, Yadav said the party is looking to break its own record of 127 seats in the 182-seat Assembly. “We will create a record of sorts this time. We will break our own record in these elections. We aim to win 150 seats,” he Yadav.
On Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who was the Congress face in previous elections, being given a ticket, Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil said new people and faces will strengthen the BJP. Patel, who had joined the Congress in 2019 and was later made the state unit’s working president, had joined the BJP in June this year.
“One boy joined the Congress after starting a big movement. He soon got disillusioned and joined us. We will use his force,” said Patil, referencing Hardik Patel.
Asked if there is apprehension within the ranks of a rebellion by sitting MLAs being denied tickets, Patil said: “Yeh Gujarat hai. Gujarat mein karyakarta bagawat nahi karte (This is Gujarat. Party workers don’t rebel here). The senior people who didn’t get tickets will be given new tasks. We have requested them to perform newer duties.”
In the run-up to the elections, former CM Vijay Rupani had written to the party leadership stating that he would not be contesting this time. BJP leader Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, too, had announced that he won’t contest the polls. Former deputy CM Nitin Patel made a similar declaration.
In the BJP’s first list of candidates, 14 women, 13 Scheduled Caste leaders and 24 from the Scheduled Tribe have been given tickets.
Congress turncoats Hardik Patel, Bhagvanbhai Barad and Mohansinh Rathva’s son Rajendrabhai Rathva have been given tickets from Viramgam, Talala and Chhota Udepur, respectively.
In a significant move, the BJP has fielded former MLA Kantilal Amrutiya from Morbi but insisted that the bridge collapse tragedy of October 30 – which claimed 135 lives – had nothing to do with the decision. After the British-era cable bridge collapsed on the Machchhu river in Morbi town, videos had captured Amrutiya jumping into the water to save people.
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