Rander polls to be held next month

While the Congress party claims to have8220;finalised8221; the candidate, the Bharatiya Janata Party says it will not disclosed its card. 8220;I have received seven applications. Our candidate will file nomination on last day.8221;, the city BJP president Praveen Naik told Express Newsline.

The BJP had won the last civic election hands down. In 1995 there was a wave in favour of the BJP.

However, this time around it is not going to be a cake walk for the BJP. The Congress is all set to exploit anti-BJP sentiments in the minority dominated ward.

Senior BJP Councillor Bakul Patel claims that BJP will win the seat, though, he admits, victory margin may go down. 8220;The work that BJP had done for the area is for all to see. Because of our performance,the BJP candidate will win8221;, Patel added.

The city Congress president Thakorebhai Naik said the Congress will 8220;expose8221; the BJP8217;s misrule and corrupt practices in Surat Municipal Corporation. With 40 per cent electorate belonging to minority community which is inclined towards the Congress Party.

Talking to Express Newsline, Naik said the Congress had decided not to hold public meeting in the area as Rander is communally sensitive areas. There has been incidents of communal tension in the past. And 8220;we don want to be an opportunity to the BJP to exploit the situation. The Congress workers will go door -to-door to convince the voters, 8221; he added.

The by-election is an acid test for the Congress party.