GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd April. In a surprising turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured its first-ever Lok Sabha victory in Surat as rival candidates withdrew from the contest. The BJP’s Mukesh Dalal emerged victorious after the Congress candidate, Nilesh Kumbhani, faced rejection of his nomination over alleged discrepancies and is now reportedly missing.
Local media reports said that Nilesh Kumbhani cannot be reached over the phone, fueling speculation about his whereabouts. Adding to the intrigue, there are murmurs that Kumbhani may join the BJP, prompting protests from Congress workers outside his residence, branding him a “people’s traitor.”
Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil hailed Surat’s electoral outcome as the presentation of “the first lotus” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mukesh Dalal’s unopposed victory has cemented BJP’s stronghold in the region, marking a significant political development.
The Congress, however, is not conceding defeat without a fight. Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi raised concerns about “wrong and undue influence” exerted by the ruling BJP in Gujarat, urging the Election Commission to intervene. Singhvi alleged foul play in the rejection of Kumbhani’s nomination, pointing to the sudden withdrawal of all rival candidates.
The timeline of events leading to the BJP’s unopposed victory reveals a series of twists and turns:
• April 18: Nilesh Kumbhani files his nomination for the Surat Lok Sabha seat.
• April 19: BJP worker Dinesh Jodhani raises objections to Kumbhani’s nomination, alleging fake signatures of his proposers.
• April 20: Polling officials receive affidavits from the proposers disavowing their signatures on Kumbhani’s nomination form.
• April 21: The District Election Officer cancels Kumbhani’s nomination after he and his proposers fail to provide necessary support.
• April 22: On the last day of withdrawal, eight candidates, including those from the BSP and Independents, withdraw their nominations, paving the way for Mukesh Dalal’s uncontested victory.
As questions swirl around Kumbhani’s disappearance and the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of rival candidates, the electoral landscape in Gujarat remains fraught with intrigue and uncertainty.
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