BJP releases 3rd list, drops 15 legislators

TheBJPonMonday released its third list of 28 candidateswhereinitdroppedasmany as15sitting legislators, including three ministers.

So far, the ruling party has announcednominationsfor134of 182 seats and dropped 30 MLAs. Thelatestlistshowsthepartyhas been trying to counter anti-incumbencyandunrestinthePatidar community over OBC quota by changing candidates.

At the same time, it has allowedheavyweights,including SpeakerRamanlalVora,former energy minister Saurabh Patel and former state president RC Faldu to change seats.

TheywillcontestfromDasada, BotadandJamnagarSouth.Patel isAkotaMLA,whileDalitleader Vora represents Idar. Faldu had lost the election in 2012 from Jamnagar Rural.

TheBJPdroppedformerminister Vasuben Trivedi from Jamnagar South. She is a close aide of former chief minister Anandiben Patel, who the party replaced with Vijay Rupani in August 2016.

Also,despiteintenseprotestby his supporters in the past two days, the party did not include former minister IK Jadeja, another Anandiben aide.

The BJP has dropped three Patidar ministers, including NanuVanani,JayantiKavadiya and Vallabh Vagahsia.

They represented Katargam, DhangadhraandSavarkundla— areaswherethePatidaragitation was strong.

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