Four independents who withdrew papers join BJP

Brushing aside rumours that Somabhai had joined the BJP, his grandson Jagat Patel said, “He has withdrawn his nomination but he hasn’t joined the BJP. He is in hospital due to ill-health and is not in a condition to talk to anyone at the moment.”

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Doshi said farmer leader Mohanbhai Patel, another independent candidate who withdrew his nomination, will also join the BJP soon. Patel had contested from Wadhwan constituency on Congress ticket in 2017 but was defeated by BJP’s Dhanjibhai Patel.

Of the six independent candidates from Surendranagar district who withdrew their nominations, including former Lok Sabha member and MLA Somabhai Patel, four joined the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Thursday.

“Four of these six independent candidates who withdrew their nominations from Dhrangadra, Wadhwan and Chotila constituencies and joined the BJP are Ishwarbhai Vegad who was an NCP worker earlier, Congress workers Bhavsangbhai Sakariya and Hitendrasinh Zala, and Himmatsinh Surela from Chotila,” said BJP state vice-president and former MLA from Wadhwan, Varshaben Doshi.

Brushing aside rumours that Somabhai had joined the BJP, his grandson Jagat Patel said, “He has withdrawn his nomination but he hasn’t joined the BJP. He is in hospital due to ill-health and is not in a condition to talk to anyone at the moment.”

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Somabhai who had contested Lok Sabha elections eight times and Vidahn Sabha elections thrice had claimed last week that he would contest against Congress sitting MLA Rutwik Makwana as an independent and not withdraw his nomination.

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