Gandhinagar: The BJP and Congress on Friday named their candidates for the Vav assembly bypoll in Gujarat. The BJP nominated Swaroopji Thakor while the Congress named Gulabsinh Rajput as its candidate. Friday was the last day for filing nominations for the seat which will go to polls on Nov 13. Both Rajput and Thakor filed their nomination papers after their names were formally announced by the parties.
The assembly constituency in Banaskantha district fell vacant after the resignation of Congress's Geniben Thakor, who won the general election from the Banaskantha seat earlier this year.
The Vav constituency has been held by the Congress for the last two terms. MP Geniben Thakor won the seat in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections. While Gulabsinh Rajput is a former MLA from Tharad constituency, Swaroopji Thakor lost to Thakor in the 2022 assembly election from the Vav seat.
After holding several rounds of meetings, Congress's INDIA bloc partner AAP decided not to field any candidate for the Vav bypoll and extended its support to the Congress candidate.
On Oct 15, the Election Commission announced that the bypoll will be held on Nov 13 and votes will be counted on Nov 23. The strength of the Congress in the 182-seat assembly is 12. The ruling BJP has 161 MLAs. There are four legislators of the AAP, one of the Samajwadi Party and two independents.