Campaigning in the three assembly constituencies, going to by-election on February 21, came to an end on Tuesday evening. The electoral fortunes of 38 candidates, including Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, will be decided in these elections. Modi, who assumed chief ministership in October last, replacing Keshubhai Patel, is contesting election for the first time to keep his present status. He is contesting from the Rajkot-II constituency. He was locked in a 21-corner electoral battle in Patel's bastion where his arch rival was the Congress nominee, Ashwin Patel. The Rajkot-II seat was vacated by Vajubhai Vala, former finance minister and Patel loyalist, to enable Modi enter the Vidhan Sabha within six months of assuming power. There are 15 independents in the fray. The other two assembly constituencies going to by-elections are Sayajiganj (Vadodara district) and Mahuva-ST (Surat district). In Sayajiganj, former jail minister and IPS-officer-turned politician, Jaspal Singh, was contesting on a Samajwadi Party ticket in a 12-corner contest. BJP candidate Jitendra Sukhadia and Congress nominee Dalsukh Prajapati have given a tough fight to Singh, who resigned from the ruling BJP after Modi became the chief minister. The candidates also include five independents.
In Mahuva constituency (reserved for the scheduled tribes), fallen vacant due to the death of sitting BJP MLA Devdutt Kumar Patel some months ago, Congress candidate Iswar Vahia and BJP nominee Manu Patel are engaged in a five-cornered contest with no independents.
Bureau Report