Three ministers on BJP miss list

Party sources said Gandhi was dropped because surveys did not put him in a very comfortable position. He had won in a triangular contest in 1999. Since the Congress and NCP were together now, the party considered him a weak bet.

One, the Maratha vote had consolidated in the rival camp following the defection of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, elected from neighbouring Kopargaon, from Shiv Sena to Congress. Two, Gandhi8217;s own Jain community was not in a position to facilitate his victory. Therefore, BJP settled for N.S. Pharande, from the Mali community, which has a sizeable presence.

Chakravarty, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, represented Guwahati. This time, the BJP leadership decided to nominate Bhupen Hazarika from here. Chakravart was reportedly offered Mangaldai but she refused to shift there.

Chhatrapal Singh was dropped to accommodate former UP CM Kalyan Singh from Lodh-dominated Bulandshahr. Though Chhatrapal Singh had won the seat four times, he had to be bypassed for Kalyan Singh.

BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu claimed that Chhatrapal Singh had offered to step aside for Kalyan Singh Chakravarty said, 8216;8216;I am a loyal party worker and I will continue to work for it.8217;8217; Chhatrapal Singh said, 8216;8216;Since the party has decided not to field me, it is my moral duty to resign.8217;8217;