All want tickets, many taken for a ride

Bharat will contest from Borsad constituency, Mahendrasinh from Sami in Patan district and Siddharth from Dabholi.

Amarsinh had proposed Tushar’s name for either Vyara or Bardoli constituency but he was strongly opposed by sitting Congress MLA from Vyara, Pratap Gamit, and a strong contender for Bardoli seat, Kuwarji Halpati.

On Wednesday evening, Gamit’s supporters created a ruckus at the election committee meeting at Vyara when Tushar’s name was proposed by Amarsinh’s supporters. They went on a rampage and manhandled those who supported Tushar’s candidature. They even threatened mass resignations if Tushar was nominated from Vyara.

‘‘I vacated my seat for Amarsinh thrice. It is with my support that he won three elections and then went on to become the chief minister. Tushar is not familiar with this constituency. He lives in Surat and does not have any idea of the people living here. How can he contest the Assembly election from here?’ Gamit asked.

Gamit has won two consecutive Assembly elections from Vyara. In 1995, Gamit won with a record margin as an Independent candidate. Congress offered him a ticket in 1998 and he won again. He is the chairman of the Vyara Market Yard and has a strong support base among local farmers.

Of the eight Assembly constituencies in Surat district, the Congress has selected candidates for five seats — Songadh, Uchhal-Nizar, Mangrol, Mahuva and Olpaad. The candidates for the other three seats — Vyara, Bardoli and Kamrej — are yet to be declared.

In 1991, Amarsinh had lost the Assembly poll at Vyara to his namesake, Amarsinh Zinabhai Chaudhary, an Independent candidate. For the 1995 and 1998 polls, Amarsinh changed his constituency to Khedbrahma in Sabarkantha district and won from there.