Ending suspense, BJP chooses Jardosh for Surat

Surat: The central election committee of BJP on Tuesday renominated Darshana Jardosh, the sitting MP, as the party candidate from Surat Lok Sabha constituency, ending 12 days of suspense and also everyone’s curiosity about her probable replacement.
Jardosh will be contesting from this constituency on BJP ticket for the third time. She was elected in 2009 and also 2014 Lok Sabha elections, with her victory margin crossing over five lakh votes in the last polls.

“There was no need for BJP leadership to prolong announcement about her candidature this long,” a local party leader said. City unit BJP president Nitin Bhajiyawala was also vying for the ticket for Surat seat, considered one of the safest for the party, along with Mayor Ajay Chokshi. Significantly, Varachha and Katargam, the Patidar-dominated areas in the city, form part of Surat Lok Sabha constituency.

Mahesh Savani, a realtor belonging to Saurashtrian Patidar community, was also trying for BJP ticket for Surat seat. A section within BJP in the city was demanding ticket for a candidate belonging to Saurashtrian Patidar community. Name of Madhukishwar Desai, great grandson of Prime Minister Morarji Desai, too was making rounds as one of the ticket aspirants.

Surat Lok Sabha constituency has 16.2 lakh voters. Surat West, Surat North, Surat East, Olpad, Karatgam, Varachha and Karanj, the seven assembly seats in Surat parliamentary constituency, were won by BJP in the assembly polls held in 2017. There is predominance of local Surti voters in Surat North and Surat West and Surat East assembly segments. Koli Patels are in sizeable numbers in Olpad and Saurashtrian Patidars in Varaccha, Karanj and Katargam.