BJP State president Jitu Vaghani said: ‘In the list of 36 candidates declared today, 18 are for first phase and another 18 are for the second phase. With this BJP has declared 60 candiates of first phase 60 and 46 of second phase in total. There are 29 new faces in today’s list. Congress is not visible anywhere so far as candidates are concerned while BJP had declared first list yesterday itself. Congress is not even able to finalize its candidate.  Congress has habit of lying before its own workers. Congress had asked its cadre to attach the lists of their booth level supporters and seek ticket as early as one and half year ago. Even today, their candidates are not finalized.’

Pradipsinh Jadeja who has again got ticket from Vatva is MoS Home in State government.

Bhushan Bhatt, son of late Speaker and Health Minister Ashok Bhatt has again got ticket to contest from Raipur Khadia. He recently had Bhajiya and Cholafali feast with party President Amit Shah post midnight in his constituency area. Bhatt’s constituency has over 60% population of Muslims. He last time won due to division of votes between two Muslim candidates.

Jagdish Panchal who has been given ticket to contest from Nikol is City BJP President.

Ramesh Katara is sitting  MLA of Fatepura(ST) seat in Dahod district.

Mahesh Bhuriya who has been selected for Jhalod seat is Ex MLA and Ex President of Dahod district BJP.

Kanaiyalal Kishori is son of Ex MLA Bachubhai Kishori. Kanaiyalal is APMC Chairman of Dahod.

Mahendra Bhabhor is BJP Dahod’s  Adivasi Morcha President.

Shailesh Sotta is surprise name in the list. He is councillor in Vadodara Municipal Corporation. His daughter recently won MS University election from ABVP. Sotta is Brahmin and he enjoys strongman image. If Congress fields former State unit President Siddharth Patel from Dabhoi, which is most likely, Sotta will give a tough fight and may win Dabhoi again for BJP.

In Surat East seat, BJP has given ticket to Arvind Rana who is from Rana community. With this, BJP has dropped sitting MLA Arvind Gilitwala. Rans is municipal Councillor for last 17 years. Surat East seat has considerable number of Muslim voters. Congress had fielded Muslim candidate in previous assembly poll here. Rana said even Muslims will vote for BJP thanks to active Minority morcho of party on the ground and benefits of government schemes minority community  enjoy. Surat East is old city area of Surat.

Cabinet Babubhai Bokhiria is repeated from Porbandar seat.

Sitting MLA of Gondal Jayrajsinh is convicted in murder case. The party has therefore fielded his wife from Gondal seat.

BJP has dropped sitting MLA Pravin Mankadia on Dhoraji seat and replaced him with former MP Haribhai Patel.  Dhoraji is tough seat for BJP due to Patidar quota stir and local municipality which has been superseded.

 Mangubhai Patel has been dropped from the list and his seat Gandevi (ST) will be contested by Naresh Maganbhai Patel for BJP.