The BJP today released its second list of 36 candidates for the next month's Gujarat assembly polls.
Twelve sitting MLAs, including one minister, were not given tickets in the list. The party has announced 106 candidates for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14.
Today's list has 12 candidates from Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, while two Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates. There are two Patel candidates in this list.
A Patel community outfit, led by Hardik Patel, has been vociferously demanding reservation for Patidar community. Hardik has made overtures to the Congress after taking an aggressive stand against the ruling BJP.
Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Wadhvani (Naroda constituency in Ahmedabad) has been dropped by the BJP in the list. The name of parliamentary secretary Samjhi Chauhan (Chotila assembly segment in Surendranagar district) also does not figure.
Similarly, 10 other sitting MLAs have not been given candidature so far. These include former ministers (during former chief minister Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government) Mangu Patel (Gandevi seat) and Ranjit Gilitwala (Surat East constituency).
State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani said, "We have declared 36 names (in the second list), so the total candidates declared by us so far is 106. Out of these, 60 candidates are for the first phase of polls to be held on December 9, while the remaining are of the second phase to be held on December 14."
The BJP has once again given candidature to Pradeepsinh Jadeja from Vatva area of Ahmedabad city. It has also fielded former MP Haribhai Patel from Dhoraji seat, while Dabhoi seat has been given Shailesh Mehta.
On Gondal seat, the BJP has given ticket to Gitaba Jadeja, the wife of sitting MLA Jayrajsinh Jadeja, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case.
Yesterday, the BJP had declared a list of 70 candidates which included Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy chief Minister Nitin Patel and state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani.
The BJP is yet to declare candidates of 24 seats for the first phase of polls, although the last date of filing of nomination forms for first phase is November 21.
Eighty-four seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region are going to polls in the first phase.
The opposition Congress is yet to release its list of candidates.
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