The political landscape in Surat, Gujarat, has taken a significant turn as BJP’s Mukesh Dalal is poised to be elected unopposed from the Surat Lok Sabha seat. This development comes after all other candidates withdrew from the contest, marking a clear path for Dalal’s victory, announced Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil.
The decisive moment arrived as the deadline for withdrawing nominations closed today. Among the withdrawals were eight candidates, including seven independents, and Pyarelal Bharti of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
The route to victory for BJP’s Dalal was smoothed by the disqualification of the Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and his substitute by the district returning officer over alleged discrepancies in paperwork. This decision, labeled as an “attempt at match-fixing” by the Congress, has sparked controversy and legal actions from the opposition.
“Surat has presented the first lotus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I congratulate our candidate for Surat Lok Sabha seat Mukesh Dalal for getting elected unopposed,” stated CR Paatil, referring to the BJP’s election symbol.
The rejection of Kumbhani’s nomination papers was based on the finding of discrepancies in the signatures of the proposers, as confirmed by the district returning officer Saurabh Parghi. The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the substitute candidate from Surat, was also deemed invalid, adding to the political upheaval.
Reacting to the disqualifications, Congress lawyer Babu Mangukiya announced the party’s intent to seek legal recourse, planning to approach the high court and the Supreme Court for relief.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed concern over the developments in Surat, highlighting the broader implications for democracy. “Our elections, our democracy, Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution – all are under a generational threat,” said Ramesh on social media platform X. He alleged attempts at “match-fixing” by the BJP, citing the party’s anxiety over discontent among micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners and the business community.
Sources By Agencies
