Gujarat election: Sharad Yadav-led group to fight on auto-rickshaw symbol

A day after the Election Commission recognised the group led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the Janata Dal (United) and rejected the claim of the Sharad Yadav faction over the party's name and election symbol, the veteran socialist leader said his party would fight the Assembly elections in Gujarat on the 'auto rickshaw symbol'. In Gujarat, the group is led by legislator Chhotubhai Vasava.

The group is set to contest the polls in alliance with the Congress party. Yadav declined to disclose the number of seats his group has demanded from the Congress. He said discussions were still on and his group would wait for the Congress to release its list. However, sources close to him said the group was hopeful that the Congress would accommodate its demand for six-seven seats it wishes to contest in the tribal belt of Gujarat.

On the Election Commission decision, Yadav said: "Decision of the Election Commission about JD (U) and its symbol is not the end of the road. People of the country know and will judge as to who is right and wrong. I will continue to fight for farmers, common man, poor, downtrodden, underprivileged classes and unemployment of the youth."

Apart from Yadav and Vasava, the Congress party is also in talks with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). According to sources, the Congress could offer a couple of seats to the NCP. The Congress is likely to release its list of candidates for the first phase of polling in a couple of days. The first phase of polling for 89-seats, of the total 182, is scheduled for December 9. The last date for filing of nominations is November 21. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)on Friday released the list for 70 seats. BJP chief Amit Shah and other leaders had a meeting in Ahmedabad on Saturday to finalise rest of the candidates. However, it is keen to wait for the Congress' list before announcing the remainder of its candidates. The Congress, meanwhile, has received an ultimatum from the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Amanat Andolan Samity to announce its position on reservation for the community.