Gujarat BJP Leader Withdraws Lok Sabha Candidacy,
Former Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel dropped his candidacy for the Mehsana Lok Sabha seat a day after the BJP’s initial candidate list was released.
Patel, a senior BJP leader, had sought to contest the general elections from Mehsana in Prime Minister Modi’s home state. But he found his name missing when the party announced its first 195 candidates across India.
The list included 15 nominees from Gujarat for the 26 seats up for grabs. With Patel withdrawing, the Mehsana candidate is yet to be finalized by the ruling party.
The move highlights internal negotiations within the BJP’s state unit ahead of pivotal national polls. While no official reason was provided for Patel’s withdrawal, it follows reports of dissent regarding his candidacy.
The former deputy chief minister was keen to make his parliamentary debut from Mehsana, part of his political stronghold. But rumblings within local party cadres may have hampered his prospects.
As the BJP fields fresh faces and balances internal interests, Patel’s withdrawal underscores candidate selection challenges even in its stronghold states. All eyes will now be on who ultimately gets the Mehsana nod as the BJP aims to repeat its 2014 Gujarat sweep.
