Ahmedabad: Voices of dissent surfaced within hours of the BJP announcing its list of candidates for the first phase of the Gujarat assembly election despite party leaders claiming that the choices made were unanimous.
A spate of resignations have taken place from the BJP since Friday afternoon. Vijaysinh Patel, a member of the Bharuch district panchayat, quit the party, protesting against the Ankleshwar assembly seat being given to Ishwarsinh Patel, the sitting MLA from the seat. Vijaysinh and Ishwarsinh are brothers.
In Saurashtra, where the BJP is already facing the prospect of losing a section of Patidar votes, opposition was seen in the Mahuva, Jasdan and Amreli seats. Mahuva councillor Bipin Sanghvi quit the after the party decided to go with Raghavjibhai Makwana from the seat once again.
“I have been seeking a ticket for the past four terms. I have helped build the BJP in this constituency. I have resigned because I have lost faith in the party now,” Sanghvi said.
In neighbouring Jasdan constituency, Gajendra Ramani quit after he did not find his name as BJP candidate for the seat. This seat is held by the Congress and the BJP decided to field Bharat Boghra instead of Ramani, who was prompt in telling the media that he will join the Congress.
In central Gujarat, Kamlesh Parmar, leader of opposition in the Congress-ruled Vadodara district panchayat, too, quit and has threatened to contest as an independent from the Padra assembly seat in Vadodara after Dinesh Patel was given the seat. Patel has been MLA from the seat in the last two terms.
In South Gujarat’s tribal pockets, the Adivasi Ekta Manch, a front supported by the BJP, has threatened to field as many as ten candidates in tribal dominated seats of south Gujarat. The Manch said that its leaders have not been given enough representation by the BJP in the list of candidates announced.
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