Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, a parliamentary board meeting was held at the residence of Gujarat’s chief minister Bhupendra Patel.

Observers appointed by the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Feb 27 began the process of considering the opinions of party members regarding the candidate for the upcoming general elections.

Party members, driven by the goal of securing a maximum margin of 26 seats, displayed eagerness for the ticket to contest the general election. In each constituency, at least 10 members registered for candidature. Moreover, even three-time winner MLAs registered for the candidature.

In the Ahmedabad East seat, two former home ministers are also expecting to get the ticket.

At the end of the board meeting, a three-member panel was formed, followed by discussions on social, political, and local factors.

Election gossip already?

As per sources, Mansukh Mandaviya from Porbandar is likely to get the ticket. From the Surendranagar seat, cabinet minister Kunvarji Bavaliya may contest elections in lieu of union minister Dr Mahendra Munjpara. 

Amidst discussions on Bavaliya’s candidature, the question emerges: who will assume the cabinet minister position?

Along with the no-repeat policy, the BJP high command is also planning to give tickets to 5–6 women members in Gujarat.

On Feb 29, the BJP’s board meeting is scheduled to finalise the list of candidates, and it may release the first 100 names of candidates, including a few from Gujarat.

List of contenders from various cities

Ahmedabad West

MP Dr Kirit Solanki

MLA Darshna Vaghela

Former MLA Jitendra Vaghela

Former minister Girish Parmar

Former MLA Hitu Kanodia

Former MLA Mani Vaghela

Dinesh Makwana

Former MLA Pradeep Parmar

Singer Arvind Vegda

Ahmedabad East

Former home minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja

Former home minister Gordhan Zadafiya

Former MLA Kaminiba Rathod

Former MLA Nirmala Wadhwani

Former MLA Balram Thavani

Shah and Patil final candidates?

Union home minister Amit Shah’s name has already been finalised for the Gandhinagar seat.

BJP observers on Feb 26 only considered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Gujarat Pradesh president CR Patil as the only candidate from Navsari.

Rajkot

Mohan Kundaria

Bharat Boghra

Dr Dhansukh Bhanderi

Pushkar Patel

Vadodara

MP Ranjan Bhatt

Dr Jyoti Pandya Sheth

Chhota Udepur

Naran Rathwa

Sangram Rathwa

Geeta Rathwa

Surat

Darshna Jardosh

Ranjit Gilitwala

Former MLA Dhiru Gajera

Former Surat mayor Dr Jagdish Patel

Former Surat BJP president Nitin Bhajiyawala

Surat BJP general secretary Mukeh Dalal

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