Bharuch: Congress may field Ahmed Patel

Ahmedabad: The Congress may spring a surprise by nominating high-profile Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel for the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat. There is a strong buzz in political circles after it was learnt that Gujarat Congress incharge Rajiv Satav and the state party leadership had proposed Mr Patel’s name to the party high command.

Mr Patel, treasurer of the party and considered to be close to the Gandhi family, was elected from Bharuch in 1977, 1980 and 1984. He lost to Mr Chandu Deshmukh in 1989 and has since then been elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Party president Rahul Gandhi will take a final call on Mr Patel’s nomination.

State Congress leaders believe that the party will get a huge momentum with Mr Patel’s presence in the fray, which will also benefit other seats. Congress leaders believe that the party regained the confidence to fight against the BJP only after Mr Patel won the Rajya Sabha election in July 2017 after a high-voltage midnight drama.

The Bharuch Lok Sabha seat is with the BJP and the party has nominated sitting MP Mansukh Vasava.

It was thought that the Congress could form an alliance with local tribal leader and Jhaghadia MLA Chhotu Vasava here. Mr Vasava, known as a “dabang” tribal leader, has floated his own outfit, Bhartiya

Tribal Patry (BTP) just a month ahead of the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections.

Mr Vasava wants to fight the Lok Sabha election from from here, and six other seats in the tribal belt and has made his intention public.