Ahmedabad: The BJP on Friday released the first list of 70 candidates for the 182-member Assembly election to be held in two phases in December. While Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will contest from Rajkot (West), Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has been fielded from Mehsana. The BJP has retained all the sitting MLAs but one. It has been avoiding any dissatisfaction or rebellion in the party which is already facing anti-incumbency sentiments of 22 years of continuous rule since 1995.
The ruling party has also fielded leaders like Raghavji Patel, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, CK Raolji, Mansinh Chauhan and Ramsinh Parmar who had quit the Congress ahead of the Rajya Sabha election and joined it during Rajya Sabha poll.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president, both of whom hail from Gujarat, had met here on Wednesday to finalise the names. The two-phase election will take place on December 9 and 14 and the results will be announced alongside Himachal’s on December 18.
The BJP has released the first list four days ahead of the last date for filing of nominations for the first phase which is November 21. The Congress is yet to announce the list of candidates. The BJP aims at drawing the first mover advantage by announcing the list before the Congress.
The last date for filing of nominations for the first phase is November 11 while that for the second phase is November 27. The last dates for scrutiny of nominations for both the phases are November 22 and November 28.
The last dates for the withdrawal of candidatures are November 24 and November 30 respectively for both the phases. The votes would be counted on December 18, two days before the election process has to be completed in the western state.
