Gujarat Elections 2017: BJP releases third list of 28 candidates

AHMEDABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP has released its third list of 28 candidates for upcoming Gujarat Elections 2017.

The party has already released a second list of 36 candidates on Saturday and a first list of 70 candidates on Friday.

Overall, the party has announced 134 candidates for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly elections to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14.

Third list of 28 BJP candidates for ensuing general election to the legislative assembly of Gujarat 2017 finalised by BJP Central Election Committee. pic.twitter.com/1DKe4ru9WX — BJP (@BJP4India) November 20, 2017

The new list includes the sitting MLA and Assembly Speaker Raman Vora, who will contest from the Scheduled Caste (SC) seat of Dasada, and sitting MLA and former cabinet Minister Saurabh Patel, who will contest from Botad. He had earlier contested from Botad in the previous term and is the sitting MLA from Akota constituency.

Senior leader and spokesperson I.K. Jadeja has not been given the ticket for Dhrangadhra constituency, where he was hoping to get candidature. That seat will be contested by Jayarambhai Dhanjibhai Sonagra.

Another former Minister Govindbhai Patel will be contesting from his sitting seat Rajkot (South). The Kodinar SC seat will be contested by Rambhai Vadher, replacing sitting MLA Jethabhai Solanki, who resigned from the saffron party on Saturday.

Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani will contest from Rajkot West, while Deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel will contest from Mahesana and state party president Jitubhai Vaghani from Bhavnagar West.

The names were finalised by BJP's Central Election Committee, which met on Wednesday.

The meeting, chaired by BJP president Amit Shah, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj among others.

On Sunday, the Congress released its first list of 77 candidates for the Gujarat Assembly elections with senior leaders from the state Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia getting tickets.

With PTI Inputs