Gujarat polls: Nitin Patel still a factor in Mehsana despite not contesting

He is not contesting this election, but former Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel features prominently in the campaign in Mehsana constituency.

The proof of this is visible in BJP banners in the Patidar heavyweight's home turf, says a PTI report. While BJP's poll banners in Gujarat generally have Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the front, Amit Shah and J P Nadda on one side, and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and C R Patil on the other, the ones in Mehsana also feature Nitin Patel.

Nitin Patel and former CM Vijay Rupani announced they were sitting out this election, in a move widely seen as the ruling BJP's attempt to present a new face to voters


The BJP candidate in this constituency is Mehsana city unit president Mukesh Patel, a protege of Nitin Patel who reportedly refers to the former Dy CM as a 'vikas purush' in his speeches.

"I was nominated by Nitinbhai as BJP's candidate from here and will continue the development work done by him," Mukesh Patel says in his speech.

The 66-year-old Kadva Patidar on his part campaigns for his replacement and ressures voters he would remain active.

There is a good reason for the party highlighting his contribution in Mehsana. Even during the height of the Patidar agitation in 2017 the BJP held its ground in Mehsana winning five out the seven seats in the district, while it lost in other districts of northern Gujarat.

Nitin Patel was once considered second only to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in her government and was later appointed deputy chief minister during Vijay Rupani's term.

With Nitin Patel out of the fray, the Congress sees a ray of hope of winning this seat after more than three decades.

Congress candidate PK Patel claims the BJP dropped its senior leader as it was "afraid" it would lose. "People should see how the BJP treats its senior leaders," PTI quoted him as saying

The BJP has been winning this seat for the last 32 years. The seat has always witnessed a bipolar contest. Barring the Congress and the BJP candidates, deposits of 32 other nominees in the 2017 elections were forfeited.

( With PTI inputs)