Despite strong opposition from the Kshatriya community, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) announced Parshottam Rupala as one of the star campaigners in Gujarat.

A total of 40 prominent campaigners for the upcoming general elections for 26 Lok Sabha seats and five assembly bye polls in Gujarat.

Notable figures on the list include national leaders such as Narendra Modi, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, Jaishankar, Arjun Munda, Dr Bharti Pawar, Yogi Adityanath, Bhajanlal Sharma, Devendra Fadnavis, Dr Mohan Yadav, Himanta Biswa Sarma, K Annamalai, Manoj Tiwari, and Vishnu Deo Sai.

Gujarat leaders include chief minister Bhupendra Patel, party president CR Patil, Ratnakar, former CM Vijay Rupani, Parshottam Rupala, Mansukh Mandaviya, Nitin Patel, Gordhan Zadafiya, Bharat Boghra, Rajnikant Patel, Raghu Humbal, Rushikesh Patel, Kunvarji Bavaliya, Bhanu Babariya, home minister Harsh Sanghavi, IK Jadeja, Prashant Korat, Gautam Gediya, Dipika Saradwa, Ramila Bara, Rambhai Mokariya, Alpesh Thakor, and Parindu Bhagat (Kakubhai).

The move comes amid controversy entailing Rupala, who remarked on erstwhile maharajas in March. Notably, over 1 lakh Kshatriyas across the state and nation have united and demanded the cancellation of Rupala's ticket in a huge convention on Apr 14.

While BJP has declared Rupala as one of the star campaigners, parts of Saurashtra, and some villages across the state are barring BJP leaders to even enter the village premises to campaign.

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