Gujarat: BJP announces candidates for bypolls for two Rajya Sabha seats

Ahmedabad, Feb 16: The BJP on Tuesday announced the names of candidates who will be contesting the by- elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, where polls will be held on March 1.

The state BJP's OBC Morcha president Dinesh Anavadiya and Ram Mokariya, the founder-chairman of a courier company, will contest the bypolls. Anavadiya, a senior party leader from Banaskantha district, has served as the director of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation between 2014-17.

While Mokariya said he has remained a dedicated party worker for over four decades. "I have been a party worker for the last 45 years and am happy that the party has nominated me as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha election," he said.

The by-elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat were necessitated following the demise of Congress leader Ahmed Patel and BJP leader Abhay Bhardwaj.

The Rajya Sabha terms of Patel and Bhardwaj were to end in August 2023 and June 2026, respectively. However, both Patel and Bharadwaj died of COVID-19- related complications on November 25, 2020 and December 1, respectively.

According to the Election Commission, polls for the two seats will be held separately on March 1 and counting of votes will take place the same evening. The BJP and Congress have 111 and 65 MLAs in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, respectively.