Campaign for LS, assembly by-polls ends in Gujarat

Campaigning for by-polls on June 2 in two Lok Sabha and four assembly seats ended today. All the seats were earlier held by the Congress party.

The by-elections is mainly a contest between the BJP and Congress with stakes much higher for Congress as it is fighting to retain those seats which fell vacant either because of the resignations of its winning candidates or the death of sitting representatives.

Campaigning for the by-polls has seen less hectic as even state leadership of both main political parties has mostly stayed away from active campaigning in all six constituencies.

Even Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi did not go for campaigning in any of the constituencies. Voting in these constituencies will be held on June 2 and counting of votes will take place on June 5.

The two Lok Sabha seats where the by-polls are being held are Porbandar and Banaskantha, while the assembly seats are Dhoraji, Jetpur, Limbdi and Morva Hadaf.

Elections are being held on Banaskantha Lok Sabha and Morva Hadaf Assembly seats after the death of Mukesh Gadhvi and Savita Khant, who were holding these seats respectively as Congress candidates.

Khant had in fact died on the day of counting of state assembly elections on December 20.

On Porbandar Lok Sabha seat Vithhal Radadia first resigned as an MP when he got elected as an MLA from Dhoraji seat as a Congress candidate in the Assembly elections held in December last year.

Later, Vithhal Radadia (Dhoraji) and his son Jayesh, who won from Jetpur Assembly seat, resigned as Congress MLAs and joined BJP and now both are contesting elections from Porbandar Lok Sabha and Jetpur Assembly seats respectively on the tickets from the ruling party.

Sitting Congress MP from Surendranagar Soma Patel, after winning Limbdi Assembly seat, resigned as an MLA due to which by-polls were are being held on Limbdi seat.

On Limbdi seat son of Soma Patel, Satish is having a fight against former state minister Kiritsinh Rana of BJP. Whereas from Morva Hadaf Congress candidate Bhupendra Khant is son of Savita Khant.

Similarly for Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat Congress has given ticket to Krishna Gadhvi, who is widow of Mukesh Gadhvi.

On four Assembly seats a total of 18 candidates are contesting, while for two Lok Sabha seats 15 candidates are in fray.

Keeping the extreme heat conditions in the state Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the polling time for two hours and voting will commence at 07oo hrs and close at 1800 hrs instead of usual time of 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs.