Vadodara: The Congress on Sunday announced Bhikhabhai Rabari as its candidate for the July 30 by-election to the Manjalpur Assembly constituency, where he will take on the BJP’s Satish Govindbhai Patel.

In a statement, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had approved Rabari’s candidature for the bypoll.

Rabari, a senior leader from Vadodara, currently serves as the vice-president of the Gujarat Congress. He also held a ministerial position in the Madhavsinh Solanki-led Gujarat government during the 1990s.

The BJP had earlier announced Satish Govindbhai Patel as its candidate on July 10. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of senior BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Yogesh Patel, who passed away on June 2.

Polling for the Manjalpur by-election will be held on July 30, while votes will be counted on August 3. DeshGujarat