Surendranagar: Sitting BJP Lok Sabha MP Devjibhai Fatepara is upset with party for not repeating him as candidate. The party yesterday announced Dr. Mahendra Munjapara’s name as candidate on Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat dropping Fatepara who was one time MP.

Fatepara today blamed party leaders from Surendranagar district such as Dhanjibhai Patel, Jayantibhai Kavadia and Kunvarji Bavaliya for selection of Munjapara over him.

Fatepara, an ex Congress MLA had joined BJP after which he was given party ticket to contest Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat. BJP had won all 26 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 general election including Surendranagar.

Fatepara had attracted limelight when he entered the parliament in traditional dress of Surendranagar district with few dancing steps. Fatepara has been also in news for non bailable arrest warrant issued against him by a local court in Kalol in Rs. 1.5 crore cheque bounce case.

When asked about Fatepara’s allegations, BJP leader and Surendranagar MLA Dhanjibhai Patel said, ‘Devjibhai comes to my home for meal when in Surendranagar. Our mutual relations have been very well even till last evening. His allegation that we conspired against him is false. There’s a system of ticket allocation which starts from taking sense, then discussion in Gandhinagar and later discussion in parliamentary board meeting in Delhi. It is not like one or two persons can conspire against someone.’

Dhanjibhai said, ‘based on whatever information we have, I can say that Dhanjibhai is facing Rs. 1.5 crore cheque return case. If he is awarded jail in future in ths case, various issues may arise. I believe this is the reason why he is denied ticket.’

It should be mentioned that under The Negotiable Instruments Act a person can get imprisonment upto 2 years in cheque return case. Suppose if the court decides to give 2-year jail term to Fatepara, he can be disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha eventually. This could also be one of reasons why party could have denied him ticket.

Meanwhile, Fatepara has decided to hold a meeting of leaders of Koli community to decide his next step. Fatepara said he would announce his decision after meeting the leaders of community. Fatepara indicated that he could extend support to rival Congress party’s possible candidate Soma Ganda Patel with whom he said he enjoys good relation.

Fatepara belongs to locally influential Chunvaliya Koli community. BJP’s fresh choice Dr. Mahendra Munjapara is also from same community.

DeshGujarat