Ahmedabad: All ministers have themselves asked party to consider their candidature from their own seats only, said deputy chief minister Nitin Patel at TV18 group’s Agenda Gujarat event held at Hyatt Regency hotel on Ashram road.

Patel said he will contest from Mahesana and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will contest from Rajkot. He said ministers should present example to party workers and accordingly all ministers themselves decided to contest from their existing seats in upcoming assembly polls.

Speaking in this function, Congress leader Alpesh Thakor said he would contest either from Radhanpur or from Viramgam seat. He said his father Khodaji Thakor who is president of Ahmedabad district Congress would not contest the election. Thakor had earlier announced that party worker Geniben Thakor would contest from Vav. Thakor made this announcement before formal announcement of list of candidates by party.

Speaking in this function, BJP president Amit Shah said Congress had outsourced the election to others. Shah refused to comment on question pertaining to quota agitation leader Hardik Patel extending support to Congress in Gujarat polls. He said anyone can support any party, it is for individual to decide. Shah was confident to win Gujarat polls with 150 seats. Shah said party in next five years of its rule will work to make Gujarat completely developed State. Shah gave example of tap water supply which is at present available to many homes but not all homes. Shah also refused to react to Yashwant Sinha’s statement.

Jan Vikalp leader Shankersinh Vaghela refused to comment on question pertaining to Hardik Patel. He said, ‘no comment’. Vaghela said development is natural process and irrespective of any party was in power, Gujarat would have been continued to develop and progress. Vaghela said none other in Gujarat has data of each constituency like he has. He claimed he has perfect knowledge on who should be fielded on which seat considering all equations including caste and community presence.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said he would win the fight between money and man in Rajkot against richest candidate of Congress. Rupani said party lost in rural Gujarat in 2015 local elections due to poor monsoon and farmers issues but won all by-polls conducted after that across the State.

Minister Shankarbhai Chaudhary expressed confidence that his party will win all 9 seats in Banaskantha district. Chaudhary during his talk said it with pleasure that in one single day, the volume of milk produced in Banakantha today was 55 lakh litre. He said the milk producers earn Rs 50,000 per month by keeping few numbers of buffaloes in Banaskantha.As soon as they deposit milk, they get SMS with details of amount to be paid to them.

Congress MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh along with his supporters had attended the Chief Minister’s session in order to ask probably some uncomfortable questions to him in question-answer round. However due to tight schedule question/answers were not taken in that session. Gyasuddin and supporters were seen making loud voices in protest.

DeshGujarat