BJP SUSPENDS 7 PARTY LEADERS FOR FILING PAPERS AS INDEPENDENTS

AHMEDABAD: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat on Sunday suspended seven party leaders, including two former MLAS, for filing nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming state elections after they were not fielded by the party.

The seven candidates are contesting from the constituencies that will go to polls in the first phase of the elections scheduled to be held on December 1.

The party suspended former MLAS Arvind Ladani, who had won from Keshod constituency in 2012, and Harshad Vasava who won from Nandod seat, after they filed their nominations as independents from these seats.

The party also suspended Chhatarsinh Gunjariya, Ketan Patel, Bharat Chavda, Uday Shah and Karan Baraiya.

The BJP, in a release, said, “These leaders have filed their nominations as independent candidates against the candidates declared by the party. They are being suspended on the direction of the state BJP president C R Paatil.”