BJP's first win before polls, walkover in Surat

The BJP has opened its account in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The party's candidate from Gujarat's Surat constituency, Mukesh Dalal, has elected unopposed, as all his opponents are now out of the fray.

Congratulating Dalal, Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil said, "Congratulations and best wishes to Mukesh Dalal, candidate for Surat Lok Sabha seat, for being elected unopposed."

While the Congress candidate's form was rejected by the Returning Officer, the other eight candidates for the seat withdrew their nominations. Nilesh Kumbhani, the Congress candidate from Surat Lok Sabha seat, was unable to present even one of his three proposers before the election officer, after which his nomination form was cancelled.

The BJP had raised questions about the discrepancies in the signatures of three proposers in Kumbhani's nomination form. The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated, pushing the party out of the poll fray in the city.

In his order, Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi said the four nomination forms submitted by Kumbhani and Padsala were rejected because at first sight, discrepancies were found in the signatures of the proposers, and they did not appear genuine.

Meanwhile, the Congress accused the ruling BJP of foul play, claiming that everyone was scared of the government's threat.

Congress leader and advocate Babu Mangukiya said that Kumbhani's three proposers were kidnapped, adding that the Returning Officer should investigate it and not whether the form has been signed or not.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "Seeing the problems and anger of MSME owners and businessmen during the injustice period of PM Modi, BJP is so scared that it is trying to 'fix the match' of Surat Lok Sabha. They have been winning this seat continuously since 1984 Lok Sabha elections."