Kolis miffed with last-minute change in candidates

The Congress had decided to pit Bhavna Patel,a Koli,from the Navsasri seat. She had filed her nomination papers,but had not received the party’s mandate for some strange reason.

At the last moment,the party declared the name of Dhansukh Rajput,a non- Koli candidate,for the seat.

This decision has annoyed the Koli community,which is now holding regular meetings at Surat and Navsari over this issue.

Pithawala said: “The Congress leaders should have atleast contacted us before cancelling Bhavna Patel’s candidature and allotting a ticket to Dhansukh Rajput. We were happy that a Patel had been allotted a ticket,but this decision has insulted our community.”

He added: “We are now holding regular meetings with our community members and are requesting them to keep away from the parliamentary polls.”

Senior Congressman and Koli community leader Chandrawadan Pithawala said: “I would rather give priority to my community than to the party. Our community has a right to the ticket,and by cancelling the candidature of Bhavna Patel,the party has made a great mistake.”

He added: “I think the Congress is not interested in the Navsari seat or else why would it give the ticket to a non-Koli candidate. The local level leaders have misguided the Congress high command and damaged the party’s image.”