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2 Congress candidates in Saurashtra withdraw from electoral race

The Congress suffered a major blow in the Saurashtra region in Gujarat when two of its candidates withdrew their nominations for the Lok Sabha election. The move can only benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party, while Congress fortunes in what was considered its citadel is bound to nosedive.

The two nominees are Nanji Vekaria and P G Kalaria. While Vekaria's withdrawal will favour former BJP chief minister Keshubhai Patel in the Visavadar constituency in Junagadh, Kalaria's case helps Rashtriya Janata Party leader Vithal Radadia in the Rajkot parliamentary seat.

Surprisingly, Congress leaders from Rajkot like former ministers Mansukh Joshi and Jayanti Kalaria, who had vehemently opposed the party's alliance with the RJP, chose not to contest the election when offered a ticket by the Congress.

The candidates's withdrawal means that for the first time, the Congress will not contest these two seats.

Vekaria's decision is particularly upsetting for Congress leaders. It is no secret that Keshubhai has neglected his constituency, Visavadar, due to his preoccupation with state politics. Many had expected Vekaria to give him a tough fight.

Congress sources allege that Vekaria has been offered a membership of the Rajya Sabha in return for opting out of the fray. The sources claim Vekaria will be elected to the Upper House in place of Anandiben Patel.

However, Vekaria says he had sought the Junagadh seat and was instead given Visavadar. By withdrawing from the race, he says, he has bowed to the Visavadar electorate who want Keshubhai to be re-elected.

Keshubhai is known for switching and neglecting his constituencies. First, he chose to contest the Rajkot-2 assembly seat, then onto Kalawad, from there to Tankara. This time it was the Visavadar parliamentary seat.

The Congress has now decided to back rebel candidate K Ambaliya who had filed his papers as an Independent.

Kalaria's selection for Rajkot was a surprise since he is considered an outsider to the area. It is unlikely he would have made much impact in the BJP fortress as he is unknown in the constituency.

Intriguingly, Kalaria filed his nomination papers for the Porbandar seat, as an RJP candidate! His withdrawal in Rajkot leaves the field clear for a straight contest between the BJP and the RJP.

Among other notable defections from the Congress are Jaykumar Sanghvi of Kutch, who will contest as an Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate; while Khodidas Thakkar of Amreli and Jayantibhai Patel of Morvi are contesting as Independents. Their presence can only help the saffron brigade.

Elections '98

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