Gujarat elections: Actor who plays ‘Vikas’ in BJP’s campaign video among 13 named in 5th list

Rajkot West a keen contest, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani may opt for 2nd seat, says party leader

Hitesh Kanodia, alias Hitu, is the BJP candidate from Idar, a reserved (Scheduled Caste) seat in north Gujarat. Speaker Ramanlal Vora represents the seat in the outgoing Assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its fifth list of 13 candidates for the second phase of Assembly polls in Gujarat and popular actor Hitesh Kanodia, who featured in the party’s “Hu chhu Vikas, hu chhu Gujarat (I am Vikas, I am Gujarat)” campaign videos, is one of the candidates.

There is speculation in the BJP that Chief Minister Vijay Rupani may opt to contest from a second seat, which could be Akota in Vadodara.

Rupani has filed his nomination from Rajkot West. About the speculation within the party, a senior BJP leader said, “This time, Rajkot West will be a close contest. The Congress’s Indranil Rajyaguru is a heavyweight candidate, so there have been discussions in the (BJP) parliamentary board about fielding Rupaniji from a second constituency. It will most likely be Akota, but the final decision is left to the party’s top leaders and Modiji.”

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Hitesh Kanodia, alias Hitu, is the BJP candidate from Idar, a reserved (Scheduled Caste) seat in north Gujarat. Speaker Ramanlal Vora represents the seat in the outgoing Assembly. Vora is contesting from Dasada this time.

Kanodia had contested the 2012 Assembly elections from Kadi but lost to the Congress’s Ramesh Chavda by around 1,200 votes. He is son of former BJP MLA Naresh Kanodia.

The BJP also repeated sitting MLA Narayan Lallu Patel, 79, from Unjha, seen as a tricky constituency for the party in view of the Patidar quota agitation.

The party has named businessman Ramanbhai Patel of Starline group as its candidate from Vijapur.

Pankaj Desai has been repeated from Nadiad.

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Amit Chaudhary, the legislator representing Mansa in the Assembly who joined the party from the Congress, will contest from the same seat.

On the list of 13, there are three Patidars, including sitting MLA Vallabhbhai Kakadiya.

Earlier, Narayan Patel had offered to step down citing his age. His inclusion, sources in the BJP said, is based on the Kadva Patidar community’s vote since he has won five consecutive terms.

The only woman candidate on the fifth list is Sumanben Chauhan (Kaalol).

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With the release of the fifth list, there is a speculation that two Assembly constituencies in Vadodara city for which candidates are yet to be declared may see faces from outside. Among the two seats is Akota, from where former minister Saurabh Patel was elected in 2012. Patel has been shifted to Botad this time.

According to party leaders, while contenders are hoping that the BJP will name a Vadodara resident from Sayajigunj constituency in the city, there is also speculation that Anar Patel, daughter of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, would be fielded from this seat. The party has not made any announcement on whether Anar will join politics.