Patel quota leader Sabva withdraws nomination from Gandhinagar

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Dilip Sabva Monday withdrew his nomination from the high-profile Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, where BJP chief Amit Shah is in the fray.

Monday was the last day for withdrawing nominations in the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, which goes to the polls in a single phase on April 23.

Explaining the reason for opting out of the poll fray, the Patidar quota agitation leader claimed he does not wish to take the blame for division of anti-BJP votes in the constituency.

While Shah is the BJP's candidate in Gandhinagar, the Congress has given ticket to sitting MLA C J Chavda for the prestigious seat.

"I had urged the Congress to support my candidature instead of fielding their own candidate. However, they eventually fielded their own candidate.

"After meeting the people of Gandhinagar during the last couple of days, I realised that Chavda's defeat is imminent," said Sabva, organisation in-charge of PAAS in Gujarat.

The PAAS is spearheading the agitation seeking reservation in government jobs and education for the Patidar (Patel) community.

Sabva was in the fray as an independent candidate.

"Now that Chavda is set to lose the election, I do not want people to blame me for the division of anti-BJP votes. If I stay in the fray, Congress will claim that their candidate lost because of me.

"Since I do not want to take that blame, I have withdrawn my nomination today," said Sabva.

Along with the PAAS leader, 10 other independent candidates also Monday withdrew their candidature for the Gandhinagar seat, won by BJP stalwart L K Advani in 2014.

Now, 17 candidates are left in the fray.