Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 |
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By Anita Joshua
Of the 108 candidates, 47 are sitting MLAs and, at least, five are sons of senior party leaders. While the sons of Yogendra Makwana, Manubhai Parmar, Madhavsinh Solanki and Chimanbhai Patel have found a place in the list, the name of Mahendra Sinh Waghela, son of the Pradesh Congress president, Shankar Sinh Waghela, who has opted out of the contest, does not figure. A majority of the candidates are from the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes while 17 seats have gone to the influential Patels, 10 to other upper castes, seven to women and four to Muslims. Besides the former Chief Minister, Amarsinh Bhilabhai Chaudhari, from Khedbrahma, the other big names in the race include Manoharsinh Jadeja from Rajkot-I, the former Congress Legislature Party leader, Nareshkumar Gangaram Raval from Vijapur, the sitting MP, Dinsa Patel from Nadiad, and the OBC strongman, Dalsukhbhai Chaturbhai Parajapati from Sayajiganj. Releasing the list at a press conference here in the presence of Mr. Waghela and Mr. Chaudhari, the All-India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of the State, Kamal Nath, said good governance would be the main plank of the Congress campaign. In particular, sources said, the party would target the business community with the promise of providing a secure and stable atmosphere that is crucial for economic well-being. Accusing the BJP of trying to divert attention from its "misrule", Mr. Nath said the Congress would ask the outgoing Government to give an account of its days in power. Exuding confidence, the senior leaders said the BJP was a divided house and on a shaky wicket, which was why the party was yet to finalise a segment for the outgoing Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. In a bid to quell speculations about differences within the party on candidates — given the various power centres in the State unit of the party — Mr. Nath said the Congress would fight the elections unitedly. Chipping in, Mr. Waghela said the list had been finalised after an elaborate exercise during which constituency profiles were drawn up and the "winnability factor" of every aspirant evaluated in a scientific manner. Though they did not say as much, the word is that the candidates for the remaining Assembly segments, including some epicentres of the communal violence witnessed by the State earlier this year, would be announced after the BJP revealed its hand. Among the 70 or so segments for which candidates are yet to be announced by the Congress are Ellisbridge, Unjha and Maninagar, all of which are viewed as constituencies from where the BJP might field the outgoing Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. However, the Congress has decided on Kashmira Bakul Nathwani for Rajkot-II, the segment Mr. Modi represents at present. While the Congress has opted for seat adjustments with "like-minded parties", the party is unlikely to concede too many seats. As of now, indications are that only three seats would be left uncontested by the party though, sources said, no decision has been taken in as many as eight segments to facilitate last-minute bargaining.
BJP clears 135 candidates By Our Special Correspondent
The party withheld the details, which are expected to be released on Tuesday. The election committee will resume its meeting tomorrow to finalise candidates for the remaining 47 seats. There was intense speculation that the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, would contest two seats, including "a safe seat'' in or around Vadodara, Ahmedabad or Patan.
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