The Congress party today officially announced seven more Lok Sabha candidates of Gujarat.

Jamnagar: Vikram Madam(MP)
Banaskantha: Mukesh Gadhvi(MLA)
Patan: Jagdish Thakor(MLA)
Junagadh: Jashubhai Barad(MP)
Bhavnagar:Mahavirsinh Gohil
Ahmedabad(East): Dipak Babariya
Amreli:Nilaben Virjibhai Thumar(wife of MP)

The Congress party had earlier announced 12 Gujarat candidates in it’s first list. Congress may allot Rajkot Lok Sabha seat to Nationalist Congress Party under seat sharing formula. The party had allotted same seat to NCP in 2004 Lok Sabha elections also but NCP had lost. The NCP has announced to field former cricketer Ajay Jadeja or film actress Amisha Patel on Rajkot seat.

Meanwhile North Gujarat’s influential Chaudhari community has expressed anger as the Congress party has not nominated even a single Chaudhari candidate this time. Chaudhari community has strength of more than 3 lakh voters according to community leaders. The BJP has given ticket to Chaudhari leader. In another development, ex-MLA of Amreli Paresh Dhanani’s supporters rallied protesting allotment of ticket to sitting MP Virjibhai Thumar’s wife. Protesters even burnt an effigy in protest. In Junagadh too the Congress is facing anger of party workers. Today all the office bearers of Junagadh Congress threatened to resign from the party protesting against Jashabhai Barad’s nomination. A group of Junagadh Congress met in a farm house near Gandhinagar to decide further protest strategy. Some of the leaders present in this farm house meeting were Ex Minister Chandrikaben Chudasama, Ex MLA Punjabhai Vansh, Lakshmanbhai Parmar, Bhikhabhai Joshi, Hirabhai Jotva, Nusarat Panja, Girish Kotecha, Gordhanbhai Patel, Nanjibhai Vekariya. In Patan, supporters of Balvantsinh Rajput(ex MLA of Siddhpur who lost assembly election in 2007) also protested against ticket to Jagdish Thakor.