BJP today cleared controversial former MP Vitthalbhai Hansrajbhai Radadiya, who drew flak for a gun-toting incident, as the party's nominee for the bypolls in Porbandar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat.
Vitthalbhai Radadiya, a former Congress MP from Porbander, was embroiled in a controversy over brandishing his gun at a toll plaza when stopped. An FIR was registered against him for threatening the toll plaza staff after his actions were caught on camera.
The party also cleared the name of Haribhai P Chaudhary from Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat in the state.
Radadiya quit his Lok Sabha seat and contested the last Assembly elections to win from Dhoraji constituency. He resigned from his assembly seat to join BJP in March this year alongwith his son and supporters.
His son Jayesh Radadiya has also been given the party ticket for the Jetpur Assembly by-election, which he won in the last assembly polls on a Congress ticket.
Radadiya alongwith his son quit the Congress and joined the BJP and was welcomed by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in a big way.
The names of the father-son duo were cleared by BJP President Rajnath Singh on the recommendations of the State Election Committee.
Among the other names cleared by the BJP for the Gujarat bypolls are Kiritsinh Jeetubha Rana for the Limbdi Assembly constituency, Pravinbhai Mohanbhai Makariya for Dhoraji assembly seat and Nimishaben Manharbhai Sudhar for the Morva Hadaf (ST) assembly constituency.
The Gujarat bye-election will be held on June 2 and the last date for filing of nominations is May 15 and the last date for withdrawals is May 18. Counting will be held on June 5.
BJP President Rajnath Singh also approved the name of Vidhyakant Sanware Lal Tiwari, on the recommendation of the the State Election Commitee, for the bye-election to the Handia Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
