Date:19/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/19/stories/2007111957480100.htm

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20 new faces in BJP’s list for Gujarat polls

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: There are 20 new faces in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s first list of 75 candidates for the coming Gujarat Assembly elections. Candidates were finalised late on Sunday night for 74 of the 87 seats in the first phase of polls on December 11, for which the last date of filing nominations is November 22.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will contest from the Maninagar constituency in Ahmedabad.

Of the 57 sitting MLAs, 20, including nearly half a dozen rebels, have been dropped. Party president Rajnath Singh told journalists that an internal survey had revealed the ‘anti-incumbency’ factor working against them.

The names were finalised by the central election committee chaired by Mr. Singh.