‘Choice of candidates cost us dearly’ says Congress President

The Congress party lost because of the selection of candidates in the Gujarat assembly by-elections, state president of the party Siddharth Patel said Monday as the BJP won five out of seven seats.

“We lost because of selection of candidates,” Siddharth Patel told reporters.

“The results are unexpected for us. We could have given tickets to better persons.” he said, adding that a better selection could have given them more seats.

It should be mentioned here that the party had given tickets to sons and daughter of previously elected candidates in as many as three constituencies. While son of Vitthal Radadiya has been victorious on Dhoraji seat, son of Popatbhai Jinjariya and daughter of Kuvarjibhai Bavaliya have lost the election on Chotila and Jasdan seat respectively. A defeated Muslim candidate Noorbhai Umatiya was also considered a poor choice for Danta seat. His candidature was prompted by Delhi. While Sami-Harij candidate Dinesh Thakor was a complete novice, Dehgam candidate C.J.Chavda was not undisputed and unanimous choice. It was said that Shankarsinh Vaghela was not happy with choice of Chavda.