BJP names 160 for Gujarat poll; Morbi MLA dropped

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, November 10

The BJP today announced the first list of 160 candidates for the forthcoming elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, dropping, among others, Morbi MLA Brajesh Merja.

Merja is among the 38 sitting MLAs who have been dropped in the first list released by Union minister Bhupender Yadav. The party has repeated 69 sitting legislators.

Yadav said the names of the 38 candidates were dropped after “having arrived at a consensus”. From Morbi, the BJP has fielded five-time MLA Kantilal Shivlal Amrutiya, who reportedly jumped into the Machchu river to save people following a bridge collapse that resulted into the death of 135 persons.

Political observers believe the BJP may have turned the tide in the constituency by fielding Amrutiya, who lost to Congress’ Brijesh Merja in the 2017 elections.

Merja had switched sides and won on a BJP ticket in the 2020 byelection. Gujarat will go to polls on December 1 and 5. The result will be out on December 8. The list also includes several Congress turncoats such as Hardik Patel from Viramgam and Bhagwan Barad from Talala.

Barad, who is the Talala MLA, joined the BJP on Wednesday.

Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja has been fielded from Jamnagar (North). Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupender Patel will contest from Ghatlodia. Opposition Congress has fielded Rajya Sabha member Amee Yagnik from the CM’s constituency.

“Of the 160 nominees, 24 are from the Scheduled Tribe community, 13 are Scheduled Castes and 14 are women,” said Yadav, who announced the names in the presence of state BJP chief CR Patil, Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya and general secretary Tarun Chugh.

The names were decided by the Central Election Committee (CEC) headed by party president JP Nadda, though Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are said to have “discussed and scrutinised” each name.

Cricketer Jadeja’s wife on list

• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupender Patel to contest from Ghatlodia
• Congress turncoat MLA Hardik Patel fielded from Viramgam
• Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja in fray from Jamnagar (North)

24 from ST community

• Of the 160 nominees, 24 are from the ST community, 13 are Scheduled Castes and 14 are women
• Senior BJP leaders say the party has tried to maintain a balance between new and experienced faces