By-poll elections: NCP announces probable candidates in Gujarat, slams ally Congress

AHMEDABAD: The Congress-NCP alliance in Gujarat seemed to have crumbled today with Sharad Pawar-led party announcing probable candidates for by-polls at two assembly constituencies, and the candidate for Vadodara Lok Sabha seat, ahead of the Congress.

By-elections would be held for nine seats on September 13. NCP said it had decided to field its lone MLA in Gujarat, Jayant Patel (also known as Jayant Boski) for the Lok Sabha by-election at Vadodara, necessitated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to retain Varanasi seat.

Patel, MLA from Umreth, is president of Gujarat NCP. For Tankara (Rajkot) seat, NCP announced two probables - Ashwin Bhimani and Vasant Koringa. For Khambhalia (Jamanagar) seat, Sanjay Nakum and Gaangjee Vaniya are probables.

NCP spokesperson Jagdishchandra Dafada claimed that both BJP and Congress were indulging in 'timepass politics'.

"Both Congress and BJP failed to address the real issues faced by people of Gujarat. Our leaders, Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, did extraordinary work in UPA government. But Congress and BJP never gave them credit," he said in a statement.

"Current PM (Modi) is incapable of doing any pro-people work. We want to expose the Gujarat model. We will also expose the timepass politics done by both BJP and Congress. That's why our party took a quick decision and decided to field Bosky from Vadodara seat," said Dafada, who added that probable candidates for other seats will be declared soon.

Congress and NCP have fought Assembly and Lok Sabha elections together since 2007.