Date:22/11/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/22/stories/2002112205910100.htm

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Haren Pandya not in third BJP list too

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 21. The third list of 12 BJP candidates for the Gujarat Assembly elections was released today, and the former State Home Minister, Haren Pandya, who resigned from the Ministry after falling out with the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, finds no mention, as does his constituency, Ellisbridge.

To curb dissidence over the distribution of ticket, a high-level meeting was held where the party president, Venkaiah Naidu, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, the former party president, Kushabhau Thakre, and the party general secretary, Arun Jaitley were present. It is learnt that Mr. Advani had asked Mr. Naidu to take immediate steps to curb the dissidence which has been manifesting itself in street demonstrations, especially in the constituency of Mr. Pandya and in Godhra.

The BJP fears that if the dissidence is not controlled in the next few days, it could have an adverse impact on the Gujarat polls.

The party has finalised candidates for 167 constituencies — 144 in the first list, 11 in the second list released on Wednesday and 12 today — and over the next two days it will finalise the remaining 15. The last date for filing of nomination papers is November 25.

Arun Jaitley, in-charge of the west zone that includes Gujarat, has returned from Gandhinagar. He had gone there to broker peace between the Keshubhai Patel and Modi factions which have locked horns over the selection of candidates for some constituencies, including Ellisbridge. Party sources said that many MPs and senior party leaders wanted the ticket to be given to Mr. Pandya, but Mr. Modi viewed this as a prestige issue.

In the list released today are the names of four Ministers, some of them known to be Modi loyalists. I.K. Jadeja will contest from Dhrangadhra, Nitinbhai Patel from Kadi, Sundersinh Chauhan from Mememdabad and Ishwarbhai Makwana, who belongs to the Scheduled Castes, from Jotana.

The three members of the dissolved Assembly who figure in today's list are Karsanbhai Odedra (Kutiyana), Mangaldas Patel (Mansa) and Prahladbhai Patel (Visnagar). The only woman in today's list is Ramilaben Desai (Kheralu).