Gujarat polls 2022: Bhupendra Patel files nomination from Ghatlodya constituency

AHMEDABAD, (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ghatlodya constituency candidate Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday filed his nomination for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.

Bhupendra Patel, the current Chief Minister of Gujarat, filed his nomination in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Before filing the nominations, Shah and Patel held a roadshow in the Ghatlodya constituency. Also, they addressed a public rally here prior to the inauguration of the chief minister’s election office here. In his address to the public in Ahmedabad, Amit Shah confidently termed Bhupendra Patel as the state’s next chief minister.

“Today with me is the next Chief Minister of Gujarat after the election,” Amit Shah said while addressing a public gathering in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad along with its Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union Home Minister expressed his trust in the BJP forming government in the Assembly elections slated to be held in two phases in early December and said that the party will “break all records and win with the most number of seats”.

Shah, during his conversation with media persons on Tuesday, hailed the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and said that they are giving pace to the developmental work in the state. The Home Minister also mentioned the law and order situation and said it has improved in the state.

“The leadership of PM Modi and CM Patel is giving pace to development work. Gujarat’s law and order situation has improved, state’s economy has grown. PM Modi’s development model for Dalits, tribals and OBC community of Gujarat is being followed by CM Patel,” he said on November 15.

The BJP on Monday released its fourth list of candidates, where it announced 12 names including two women candidates. Earlier, the party had released the names of 167 candidates for Gujarat polls and fielded Lavingji Thakor from Radhanpur while VJ Jhala has been been given the ticket from Himatnagar. Alpesh Thakor has been fielded from Gandhinagar South.

The party has also fielded Rajulben Desai and Ritaben Patel from Patan and Gandhinagar North respectively. Further, Babu Singh Jadhav will contest from Vatva. In its second list of six candidates, which was released on Saturday, the BJP gave the ticket to women and fielded Mahendrabhai Padaliya from Dhoraji, Mulubhai Bera from Khambhalia, Dheliben Maldebhai Odedara from Kutiyana, Sejal Rajiv Kumar Pandya from Bhavnagar East, Hitesh Devji Vasava from Dediapada (ST) and Sandeep Desai from Choryasi.

The BJP announced the first list of candidates for 160 candidates out of the 182 constituencies, on Thursday, for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. The first list of 160 candidates includes 14 females, 13 from scheduled caste, 24 from the scheduled tribe and there are 69 candidates who have been repeated.

In the first round, 89 of the total 182 Assembly seats will go to polls and prominent political parties have declared their candidates for almost all these constituencies. The BJP has drawn up a list of star campaigners for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections.

Topping the list is Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides the party’s national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and fellow central cabinet colleagues Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who is seeking a fresh mandate from the Ghatlodia Assembly segment, also features in the star campaigners list along with BJP state president CR Patil and state Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi.

The ruling party is seeking its seventh, straight term in power in the ensuing state polls. The state has been a BJP stronghold for a long time, and the party has set its sights on returning to power with a handsome majority this time. However, it faces a stiff electoral challenge from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has named Isudan Gadhvi as its chief ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, Congress can also be seen hoping to put its best electoral foot forward to unseat the BJP government, which has been in the state for the last 27 years. (ANI)