Syed Khalique Ahmed

Kalsaria, a surgeon by profession who is running two hospitals in coastal Bhavnagar district, holds considerable influence in the rural belt of Bhavnagar district, particularly among the OBC Ahir community.

Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi, when contacted, said, “Talks are on with Kalsaria and he may be taken in the party during Rahul Gandhi’s visit or after it.”

The Congress also lost no time in announcing Gohel’s candidature for the Jasdan Assembly seat, which has fallen vacant after the incumbent MLA, Bavaliya, resigned from the House as well as the Congress.

Chavda issued the warning in separate meetings held with MLAs and district panchayat office-bearers, held in connection with training of jan mitras who would be given the charge of election booths during elections.

The elections for president and vice-president posts were necessitated as the elections for office-bearers in district panchayats are held after every two-and-a-half years under Panchayati raj system.

The election of office-bearers in Gujarat district panchayats is held every 30 months from among the elected representatives. As the term of the current office-bearers ends this month, fresh elections are being held in different districts.

Dalit MLA Naushad Solanki and tribal MLA Anil Joshiyara, who have convened the meeting, said that the law would ensure that the funds will be allotted for the SCs and STs as per their population in the state, and spent for the benefit of the two communities only.

Deputy CM says no case of farm suicide in Gujarat, reason could be something else

Urban voters have rejected Congress in last three consecutive Assembly polls.

Hemnag Raval, who has been associated with the party for over 20 years and its IT cell since 2007, has handled various responsibilities of the party’s IT department at national level.

Congress leader Tushar Chaudhary said Chavda’s selection was in consonance with Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s announcement at the Plenary Session in which he said he will give chance to young leaders to lead the party.

According to sources, party president Rahul Gandhi was not happy with Bharatsinh Solanki’s performance and was likely to replace him in view of the next general elections.

Solanki, who was appointed as state party chief in December 2015, had earlier led the party in the state between 2005 and 2007.

“Amee Yagnik has never worked for the party organisation. She has not addressed even a small or a big public meeting anywhere in the state,” Sonal Patel told The Indian Express after sending her resignation letter to All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev.  

He had also served as chairman of the National Knowledge Commission from 2005 to 2009 and as an adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on public information infrastructure and innovation with the rank of a cabinet minister.

Sam Pitroda, who is credited with telecom revolution in the country and worked as an adviser on technology missions to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was actively involved in the last two Assembly elections in Gujarat as chairman of the party’s election manifesto committee.

In urban centres of the state, the sex ratio of girls in the age group of 0-6 years has fallen to 848 per 1,000 boys from 890 girls per 1,000 boys in 2011, despite a number of incentives given by the state government for girl child over the decade.

Former IPS officer Kuldip Sharma and former IAS officer P K Valera are among several Congress leaders in the race to seek nomination for the Upper House from Gujarat.

The GTU, which has not been paying stipend to its PhD candidates, has been allocated Rs 57 lakh annually for fellowship/stipend to doctorate and post-doctorate candidates.