WATER SUPPLY Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya on Friday filed the nomination for the Jasdan Assembly bypoll on a BJP ticket and claimed that all the ticket contenders of Congress were in his touch. His remarks come as the Opposition Congress is yet to name its candidate for the Assembly seat.
WATER SUPPLY Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya on Friday filed the nomination for the Jasdan Assembly bypoll on a BJP ticket and claimed that all the ticket contenders of Congress were in his touch. His remarks come as the Opposition Congress is yet to name its candidate for the Assembly seat.
Bavaliya, a five-time MLA from Jasdan, had quit the Congress in July this year alleging that he was being neglected by the party despite his stellar record and that he was unable to serve his constituents as an Opposition MLA. Within hours of his quitting the Congress, the 63-year-old Koli leader was made a Cabinet minister in the BJP government. His resignation as Congress MLA, just six months after being elected for the fifth time from Jasdan on a Congress ticket, necessitated the bye-election.
Exuding confidence of winning the Assembly seat for the sixth time, Bavaliya said that with him resigning from the Congress, the party has been wiped out from Jasdan.
“After I quit the Congress, the party has been abolished from Jasdan. The party has nobody in Jasdan now. They are not able to find any candidates. In fact, all the contenders for the Congress ticket for this bye-election are in touch with me,” Bavaliya told his supporters at Jasdan town before filing his nomination papers.
He also hit out at the Congress MLAs who are campaigning for the party in Jasdan, and called Somabhai Patel, one the tallest Koli leaders of the state as “an MLA who had failed in his own constituency”.
Incidentally, a week ago, Bavaliya had claimed that all contenders for Congress ticket for the December 20 bypoll were his chelas (disciples).
Before filing his nomination, he paid homage to his community deity at Janada village in Vinchhiya taluka, before driving to Ghela Somnath, a shrine of Lord Shiva near Jasdan. He also offered prayers at Aakashi maa temple, a local shrine near Jasdan town, and Kalu Pir Dargah before reaching the venue of his public meeting.
Union ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala, as well as state Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, were present at the meeting. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s wife Anjali, who is president of Rajkot city unit of women’s wing of the party, was also present at his rally.
Jasdan Assembly seat is overwhelmingly dominated by voters from Koli community. , which also covers Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district, since 1995. The only time the party lost the seat was during the 2009 bye-election after Bavaliya’s election to Parliament from Rajkot.
“In all, six persons have filed eight sets of nomination papers. They include Kunvarji Bavliya of the BJP, his wife Parul who is a dummy candidate of the BJP and four Independents,” Returning Officer Amit Chaudhary said.
Polling will be held on December 20, and votes will be counted on December 23.
Bavaliya, a five-time MLA from Jasdan, had quit the Congress in July this year alleging that he was being neglected by the party despite his stellar record and that he was unable to serve his constituents as an Opposition MLA. Within hours of his quitting the Congress, the 63-year-old Koli leader was made a Cabinet minister in the BJP government. His resignation as Congress MLA, just six months after being elected for the fifth time from Jasdan on a Congress ticket, necessitated the bye-election.
Exuding confidence of winning the Assembly seat for the sixth time, Bavaliya said that with him resigning from the Congress, the party has been wiped out from Jasdan.
“After I quit the Congress, the party has been abolished from Jasdan. The party has nobody in Jasdan now. They are not able to find any candidates. In fact, all the contenders for the Congress ticket for this bye-election are in touch with me,” Bavaliya told his supporters at Jasdan town before filing his nomination papers.
He also hit out at the Congress MLAs who are campaigning for the party in Jasdan, and called Somabhai Patel, one the tallest Koli leaders of the state as “an MLA who had failed in his own constituency”.
Incidentally, a week ago, Bavaliya had claimed that all contenders for Congress ticket for the December 20 bypoll were his chelas (disciples).
Before filing his nomination, he paid homage to his community deity at Janada village in Vinchhiya taluka, before driving to Ghela Somnath, a shrine of Lord Shiva near Jasdan. He also offered prayers at Aakashi maa temple, a local shrine near Jasdan town, and Kalu Pir Dargah before reaching the venue of his public meeting.
Union ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala, as well as state Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, were present at the meeting. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s wife Anjali, who is president of Rajkot city unit of women’s wing of the party, was also present at his rally.
Jasdan Assembly seat is overwhelmingly dominated by voters from Koli community. , which also covers Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district, since 1995. The only time the party lost the seat was during the 2009 bye-election after Bavaliya’s election to Parliament from Rajkot.
“In all, six persons have filed eight sets of nomination papers. They include Kunvarji Bavliya of the BJP, his wife Parul who is a dummy candidate of the BJP and four Independents,” Returning Officer Amit Chaudhary said.
Polling will be held on December 20, and votes will be counted on December 23.