Surat/Rajkot: Political temperatures in Gujarat have surged ahead of the local body elections, with reports emerging that the main opposition party, Congress, has shifted several of its candidates in Surat and Rajkot to undisclosed locations.

Congress Moves Candidates to Secret Locations

In Surat, around 40 candidates considered strong contenders have been relocated to nearly 11 undisclosed “safe houses” outside the city. The move, reportedly directed by the party’s high command, aims to prevent opposition parties from reaching out to candidates and influencing them ahead of polling.

Only select regional leaders are aware of these locations. The relocated candidates have been given strict instructions not to communicate with their families or anyone else, and their mobile phones have been switched off.

‘Mission Agyat’ Rolled Out Across Gujarat

The strategy, dubbed “Mission Agyat,” is not limited to Surat. In Rajkot, approximately 25 candidates have also been moved to undisclosed locations until the withdrawal deadline on April 15.

Party leaders claim the decision was taken following alleged attempts by BJP leaders to pressure candidates into withdrawing their nominations. Rajkot Congress president Dr. Rajdeepsinh Jadeja stated that the party acted swiftly to counter such efforts, ensuring that no candidate withdraws under pressure.

He added that while not all candidates have been relocated, the party has adopted a mix of on-ground campaigning and strategic isolation on a ward-wise basis.

Fear of Repeat ‘Kumbhani Episode’

The Congress’ aggressive containment strategy stems from concerns over a repeat of the Nilesh Kumbhani nomination rejection case.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani had his nomination papers rejected due to discrepancies in the signatures of his proposers. Following his disqualification, BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal won the Surat seat unopposed.

After his papers were rejected on April 21, 2024, Kumbhani remained incommunicado for nearly 20 days. To avoid a repeat of such an incident, the Congress has now taken precautionary steps by relocating its candidates to secure locations. DeshGujarat