Surat: BJP has suspended Kunvarji Halpati for anti-party activities. Kunvarji is former Congress MLA from Mandvi seat in South Gujarat. He left Congress after he was denied ticket in December 2012 general election of assembly.

In 2014 Halpati’s rival Prabhu Vasava left Congress and joined BJP. Vasava was given Bardoli Lok Sabha seat ticket. Vasava won the election and vacated Mandvi assembly seat but BJP didn’t field Halpati as replacement and instead fielded a woman candidate. Halpati tried to rejoin Congress at that point but Congress didn’t welcome him. Hoping for BJP ticket in 2017 assembly polls, Halpati remained silent and continued to be with BJP. However he was denied ticket this time too. To save his political existence, he contested from Mandvi seat as independent candidate. As repeated efforts to placate him and convince him to withdraw his candidature failed, the BJP has finally suspended Halpati from the party.

BJP has fielded Chaudhary Pravinbhai Merjibhai on Mandvi seat while Congress has fielded sitting MLA Anand Chaudhary here. Mandvi seat is reserved for tribal candidate(schedule tribe). BSP, JDU, AAP candidates are also trying luck here.

In another development, BJP has suspended former city BJP general secretary Ajay Chaudhary who is contesting as independent on Choryasi seat in Surat. BJP has fielded sitting MLA Zankhana Patel here as its candidate while Congress has fielded Yogesh Bhagwnan Patel.

DeshGujarat