Cong releases first list for Gujarat

The Congress today announced the list of 12 candidates in Gujarat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Eight sitting MPs figure in the first list, which includes Union ministers Dinsha Patel, Shankersinh Vaghela and Naranbhai Rathwa who will contest from Kheda, Panchmahal and Chota Udepur constituencies, respectively.

The party has fielded Madhusudhan Mistry, chief whip of the Congress, from the Sabarkantha constituency. Former chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary’s son Tushar Choudhary will contest from Bardoli, while former Indian Youth Congress president Satyajit Gaekwad will represent Vadodara.

State Congress unit president Bharatbhai Solanki will contest from his home constituency Anand, while Prabha Taviyad, Jivabhai Ambalal Patel and Vittalbhai Radadia will battle it out from Dahod, Mehsana and Porbander constituencies, respectively.

Kishanbhai V Patel and Danicha Valjibhai have been named as the party candidates for Valsad and Kutch seats, respectively.

The party today also announced the name of its candidate from the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Six-time MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mohan Delkar, has been given the ticket from the same constituency. Delkar, an independent candidate, had joined the Congress during AICC President Sonia Gandhi’s rally in Silvassa last month.

The Congress had won 12 of the 26 parliamentary seats from Gujarat during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

The party is likely to announce the names of the remaining 14 candidates from the state in a few days.