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This is an archive article published on November 30, 2007
Cong exuberance vs BJP experience
In 2002, 22-year-old Congress candidate Paresh Dhanani emerged the giant-killer when he defeated BJP heavyweight Purshottam Rupala in Amreli.
Written by Hiraldave
November 30, 2007 12:00 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
In 2002, 22-year-old Congress candidate Paresh Dhanani emerged the giant-killer when he defeated BJP heavyweight Purshottam Rupala in Amreli. But that was five years ago. Dhanani, now 27, faces another seasoned candidate and crucially, will be up against someone from his own caste.
Given the caste equations that play a major role in elections, Amreli could end up as a close call for Dhanani. Amreli, with around 1.5 lakh voters, has an overwhelming number of Leuva Patels. While Rupala was a Kadva Patel, Dhanani8217;s opponent this time8212;Dilip Sanghani, a seasoned politician and close friend of Chief Minister Narendra Modi8212;is also a Leuva Patel. Most of the BJP MLAs who rebelled against Modi are Leuva Patels and this community will call the shots in this constituency.
Sanghani, who has won the Amreli assembly seat thrice and the parliamentary seat once, is confident that the rapport he shares with people in the region will see him through. Dhanani, the young man who won hearts in 2002, hopes to get the support of the powerful diamond industry through his uncle Dhiru Gajjera, a Surat MLA and diamond tycoon.
8220;Amreli has got new roads and a sewage system in the last five years. My work speaks for itself,8221; said Dhanani. But his critics say the roads and sewage system are concentrated in the minority-dominated localities of Amreli.
His rival Sanghani claimed he had spent over 8220;Rs 2 crore on various development projects in Amreli8221;.
Dilip Sanghani: BJP
Cash: Rs 1,47,500
Deposits: Rs 7,48,731 Wife8217;s: Rs 2,05,000
FDs: Rs 15,46,080
Shares: Rs 90,15,000 Rs 44,31,000
Insurance: Rs 5 lakh
Gold: 100 gms wife: one kg
Land: Worth Rs 18 lakh
Non-agricultural land: Rs 18 lakh
House in Gandhinagar worth
Rs 53 lakh wife has shop worth Rs 2 lakh
Loans: Rs 15.30 lakh
TOTAL: Rs 2.34 crore
Paresh Dhanani: CONGRESS
Cash: Rs 22,700 wife8217;s: Rs 17,100
Insurance: Rs 1 lakh
Gold: 100 grams wife: 250 grams gold
Agricultural land: Rs 92,500
Non-agricultural land: Rs 1,81,590
TOTAL: Rs 3.13 lakh
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