As many as 1,828 candidates are in fray for 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat that include 977 candidates from Saurashtra-Kutch and South Gujarat regions’ 89 constituencies as well as 851 aspirants from North and Central Gujarat regions’ 93 seats which would go for polling in two phases on 9th and 14th December respectively.
Interestingly ruling BJP is the only political party which has put candidates in all 182 assembly constituencies. Main Opposition party has given tickets 178 candidates as the Congress party has resorted to seat sharing agreement with powerful tribal leader Chhotu Vasava and decided to support Vasava by not fielding candidates from three tribal dominated constituencies in South Gujarat. There are as many as 788 independent candidates in the fray.
The oldest political outfit has also declared its support to Jignesh Mevani young Dalit leader emerged post Una Dalit flogging incident who has filed nomination from Vadgam assembly constituency in North Gujarat as independent candidate. The constituency is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidate.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayavati headed Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded its candidates in 139 assembly seats. As many as 95 candidates from Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela’s political outfit All India Hindustan Party are also set to contest 2017 Gujarat polls. Strong Maratha leader Sharad Pawar’s political outfit Nationalist Congress Party’s 58 candidates too are in fray. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Shiv Sena is contesting from 42 assembly constituencies. Delhi Chief Minister led Aam Aadami Party’s will give fight to candidates of other political parties in 30 seats.
It is worth mentioning that since the first assembly elections after formation of Gujarat, the state is witnessing third highest candidates in the assembly elections. In 1995 and 1990 assembly polls 2545 and 1889 candidates contested. In the previous assembly elections in 2012, there were 1666 aspirants.
Most number of candidates (34) contesting from Mehsana assembly seats in North Gujarat from where Gujarat’s deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has filed his candidature. Other constituencies where high numbers of candidates are in fray include Jamnagar rural 27, Botad 25, Jamnagar North 24 and Viramgam 22. Least numbers of candidates (three) are contesting from Bhiloda, Anand, Morva Hadaf, Jhagadia and Gandevi.