BJP nominates deputy mayor Ranjan Ben Bhatta for Vadodara LS seat

GANDHINAGAR: The BJP has picked Vadodara’s deputy mayor Ranjan Bhatt as its candidate for the by-election to the Lok Sabha seat vacated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who contested the April-May general elections from two seats and opted to represent Varanasi in Parliament.

The announcement on Tuesday, along with the names of the party’s candidates from nine assembly seats in Gujarat where by-elections are due to be held, ended speculation over the possible candidates from Vadodara, including BJP president Amit Shah and Gujarat finance minister Saurabh Patel.

Bhatt, who was appointed as the deputy mayor just two months ago, told the media that she did not even seek a ticket and did not expect to be fielded by the party. BJP’s local leaders said the caste factor played a crucial role in the choice. Balu Shukla, a Brahmin candidate had vacated the seat for Modi and Bhatt is being fielded to keep the caste equation unchanged, they said.