Gandhinagar:

The scrutiny of nomination papers of the 8 candidates for for Rajyasabha polls for 4 seats from Gujarat due to be vacant on April 2,was on today amid objections and counter objections by ruling BJP and main opposition Congress.

While BJP has raised objection about the no dues certificate and its submission time and procedure of Congress candidate and former MoS Railways Naran Rathwa, the Congress has raised objections about the alleged incomplete address and signature in the forms of both BJP candidates union MoS Agriculture Parshottam Rupala and MoS Road Transport, Highways, Shipping, Chemical and Fertilizer Mansukh Mandaviya.

Returning officer A B Karova, however rejected the objections about Rupala and Mandaviya and allowed their nominations.

Senior BJP leaders DyCM Nitin Patel, MoS Home Pradipsinh Jadeja and party president Jeetu Vaghani and that from Congress Shaktisinh Gohil, Babu Mangukiya and Deputy LoP Shailesh Parmar are present during the ongoing scrutiny.

A total of 8 candidates had filed nominations –

BJP (3) – Parshottam Rupala, Mansukh Mandaviya and Kiritsinh Rana
Congress (2)- Ameeben Yajnik, Naran Rathwa
Independents (3) Rajni Patel, P Moolani and P K Valera

The scrutiny of papers would be completed today while the last date for withdrawal of names was March 15.

The election if needed would be held in the banquet hall of the assembly building on fourth floor on March 23.

The 8 candidates had filed their papers in total 13 sets of which Ruapla and Mandaviya have filed in 3 sets each. Some Congress MLAs have supported the candidature of P K Valera.

After the high voltage final hour nominations by Rathwa and some other candidates yesterday, the scrutiny is also seemingly equally interesting. If more than 4 candidates remain in the fray after March 15 there will be election for the 4 seats, all of which were earlier held by BJP.

DeshGujarat