Gujarat election 2017 key candidates: Praveen Maru

Praveen Maru is a Congress candidate from the Gadhada (SC) constituency

Maru is an influential Dalit figure in Gujarat. There was considerable drama preceding his nomination as he had threatened to quit the Congress party over internal differences claiming under-representation to Dalits and minorities. The last time he won an election was in 2002, having lost two subsequent elections in the state. Maru is one of the few non-crorepati candidates in the fray with his declared wealth less than Rs 50 lakh. He contested against BJP’s Atmaram Parma from this reserved constituency.