Excitement over the names for the remaining 11 seats in Ahmedabad city remains at its peak as this will be a prestige issue for two big leaders in the BJP. National president Amit Shah's camp and supporters of former CM Anandiben Patel have come in direct confrontation for these seats, where the party is yet to announce the names of candidates. Monday will be the last day for filing nominations and the party is likely to announce the names on Sunday.
The tug of war will be more intense in Ghatlodia where Anandiben Patel is the sitting MLA, and Naranpur, from where Amit Shah resigned after being elected as a Rajya Sabha member. Adding to the list, aspirants are eagerly waiting for the names in Sabarmati, Ellisbridge, Maninagar, Bapunagar, Vejalpur, and Amraiwadi seats.
A senior leader from BJP said, "Anandiben Patel has been making full efforts to have candidates from her camp for Ghatlodia, Sabarmati and Maninagar seat where Amit Shah camp is fully prepared to pose her a challenge. Amit Shah will have the upper hand in seats like Naranpura, Vejalpur, Bapunagar, Ellisbridge and Maninagar."
Where Anandiben loyalist Bhupendra Patel has been trying for a Ghatlodia seat, BJP high command can give him a shock by fielding a surprising name. Gujarat BJP Yuva Morcha president Dr Rutvij Patel or a big name from the party in state are also under consideration. Anandiben Patel's daughter Anar Patel and son Shwetank Patel are eyeing the Sabarmati seat, but senior leader Narhari Amin or Amit Shah loyalist Harshad Patel alias Dadhi may become a challenge for them. Sitting MLA Arvind Patel's name is not under consideration at all.
Amit Shah could chose Ahmedabad District Co-operative Bank chairman Ajay Patel or Ahmedabad mayor Gautam Shah as his successor for the Naranpura seat, but Ajay Patel has the upper hand here. Vejalpur seat, where the OBC community dominates, could see the change as Kishorsinh Chauhan failed to gain popularity in last five years. BJP could give a ticket to a young BJP leader from the OBC community who is in the realty business. Another name for this seat is Amit Shah's close confidante Hitesh Barot.
Ellisbridge has a flip flop condition as Anandiben wishes sitting MLA Rakesh Shah to be repeated but the party could give a ticket to a daughter of a senior RSS leader. Maninagar seat, from where Narendra Modi contested polls thrice in 2002, 2007 and 2012, also will have BJP's young face as a candidate and possibly a woman, while sitting MLA Suresh Patel may not be repeated. The names leading the race are Mona Raval and Nisha Jha. Amraiwadi seat also can go to OBC leader of BJP and sitting MLA Hasmukh Patel may be dropped.
The non-Gujarati speaking community has been demanding representation from Bapunagar seat but former Home Minister Gordhan Zadafia may contest from the BJP banner again from this seat after he parted ways with the party in 2007 and returned in 2014. Former revenue minister Kaushik Patel may be given a ticket from Dariapur-Shahpur seat, from which he had been elected in 1995, 1998 and 2002, but lost in 2007 against the Congress MLA. Kaushik has been trying for Ghatlodia constituency too, as caste equations in Dariapur-Shahpur constituency changed after delimitation in 2009 and Muslim community dominates here. Former MLA Bharat Barot also is another name for this seat.
The Scheduled Caste reserved seats Asarva and Danilimda would see the change and the party may give tickets to a young woman leader and former deputy mayor of city Darshna Vaghela from Asarva seat and sitting MLA and retired bureaucrat in Gujarat government RM Patel may be dropped while former MLA from Shaherkotda constituency Jitu Vaghela can be fielded from Danilimda constituency.
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