Surat bypoll: BJP fields late MLA's daughter

Zankhana Patel, daughter of sitting BJP MLA Rajendra Patel who died last year, will be the party's nominee for the forthcoming by election to Choryasi Assembly seat in Surat.
"State BJP has decided to field Rajendra Patel's daughter Zankhana (35) as its candidate for the bypoll. She will file her candidature in due course," BJP's state unit media coordinator, Harshad Patel said here today.
The byelection was necessitated following the death of Rajendra Patel (60), popularly known as Raja Patel in political circles, in a Mumbai-based hospital in August last year.
The notification for the byelection, slated for January 21, was issued recently by the Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat.

Last date for filing of the nomination papers is scheduled at January 4.
Meanwhile, the Congress has also started its exercise to select their nominee, and may announce the name of their candidate tomorrow, said party spokesperson Manish Doshi.