Congress declares nine candidates of Gujarat, Shankersinh to contest from Sabarkantha

Ahmedabad, 8 March 2014

The Indian National Congress(INC) had declared its first list of Lok Sabha candidates. Nine Gujarat candidates declared in the list are following:

Sabarkantha: Shankersinh Vaghela
Surendranagar: Somabhai Gandabhai Patel
Rajkot: Kunvarjibhai Bavalia
Jamnagar: Vikrambhai Madam
Anand: Bharatbhai Solanki
Dahod-ST: Dr. Prabhaben Taviyad
Chhota Udaipur-ST: Naranbhai Rathwan
Bardoli-ST: Dr. Tusharbhai Chaudhary
Valsad-ST: Kishanbhai Patel

Barring Shankersinh Vaghela, all others are sitting MPs, and they are repeated on their seats. Shankersinh lost Lok Sabha poll in 2009. He later contested assembly general elections and became leader of opposition in Gujarat. Sabarkantha Lok Sabha seat is presently with BJP, however in last assembly general elections, Congress had performed very well in Sabarkantha.

The names of two sitting MPs of Congress in Gujarat are absent in this list. They are cabinet minister and Kheda MP Shri Dinsha Patel who has asked party that he no more wants to contest, and Patan MP Jagdish Thakor who is unhappy with party and has conveyed he doesn’t want to contest.