Ahmedabad: It’s bad news for BJP candidate Bhushan Bhatt who is sitting MLA and contesting from Khadia – Jamalpur assembly seat. Independent candidate and former Congress MLA Sabir Kabliwala has withdrawn his candidature. Bhatt was eyeing to win the seat through division of Muslim votes between Kabliwala and Congress candidate Imran Khedwala. Khadia – Jamalpur seat has over 60% Muslim population. Kabliwala had contested as independent in 2012 general elections too. Bhatt won that election through division of Muslim votes between Kabliwala and Congress candidate Pathan. This time, as Kabliwala has succumbed to pressure built by Congress leaders, Bhatt will need to rely on other Muslim candidates for division of votes. Congress had fielded senior Muslim leader Gulam Nabi Azad to sort out the issue. There are 9 independent Muslim candidates, while 3 more Muslim candidates are fielded by NCP, BSP and Shankersinh Bapu’s Jan Vikalp morcha (under the name of All India Hindustan Congress Party). There are two Hindu independent candidates also fighting the election on this seat.

DeshGujarat