In a sort of ‘opening’ its electoral account in the ensuing general elections, BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was on Monday elected unopposed from Surat Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat after all other nominees withdrew from the fray.
“I declare that Mukeshkumar Chandrakant Dalal, sponsored by the BJP, has been duly elected to fill the seat in the House from Surat parliamentary constituency,” District Collector cum election officer Saurabh Pardhi told media persons as he handed over the certificate of election to Dalal.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that democracy is under threat. The candidature of Congress’ Nilesh Kumbhani from Surat seat was rejected on Sunday after the district returning officer prima facie found discrepancies in the signature of the proposers. The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress’ substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated.
Voting for all 26 constituencies in Gujarat is scheduled for May 7, but with the result of Surat seat already out, polling will be held on 25 seats.
Except for Dalal, all 8 candidates in the fray from Surat- 4 Independents, 3 from smaller parties and Pyarelal Bharti of Bahujan Samaj Party withdrew their nomination papers on the last day, as per the Surat district election office.
Congress on Sunday alleged that Kumbhani’s nomination form was rejected at the behest of the BJP and said it would challenge the rejection in the High Court.
“Surat has presented the first Lotus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I congratulate our candidate for Surat Lok Sabha seat Mukesh Dalal for getting elected unopposed,” Gujarat unit BJP president C R Paatil posted on social media.
In the 2019 polls, BJP won all 26 constituencies in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Congress claimed the BJP was frightened by the anger of MSME owners and the business community and attempted “match-fixing” even in the Surat Lok Sabha seat which the ruling party has been winning since 1984.
“‘Aap chronology samajhiye’ (Understand the chronology): Surat District Election Officer rejects the Congress’ candidate for Surat Lok Sabha Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination for ‘discrepancies in the verification of signatures of three proposers’. On similar grounds, officials reject the nomination of Suresh Padsala, the INC’s substitute candidate from Surat.
The Congress is left without a candidate,” Ramesh stated.
“All other candidates withdrew their nomination except the BJP’s candidate, Mukesh Dalal. The BJP candidate was declared ‘elected unopposed’ from the Surat Lok Sabha seat on April 22, 2024, nearly two weeks before polling on May 7, 2024,” Ramesh added.
He claimed that the “distress” of micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) owners and the business community in PM Narendra Modi’s “Anyay Kaal” and their anger have “spooked the BJP so badly that they are attempting to ‘match-fix’ Surat Lok Sabha, which they have won consistently since the 1984 Lok Sabha elections!”
