BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal wins Surat Lok Sabha seat unopposed
- In Reports
- 08:17 PM, Apr 22, 2024
- Myind Staff
The BJP has secured its first victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, with Mukesh Dalal, the party's candidate from Gujarat's Surat constituency, emerging as the winner uncontested after his opponents withdrew from the race. Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil extended congratulations and best wishes to Dalal on his unopposed election to the Surat Lok Sabha seat.
The Congress candidate's nomination was rejected by the Returning Officer, while the remaining eight candidates for the seat opted to withdraw their nominations. Nilesh Kumbhani, the Congress candidate for the Surat Lok Sabha seat, failed to produce any of his three proposers before the election officer, resulting in the cancellation of his nomination form.
The BJP had raised concerns regarding the inconsistencies in the signatures of three proposers on Kumbhani's nomination form. Additionally, the nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the substitute candidate from the Congress for the Surat constituency, was also deemed invalid, effectively removing the party from the electoral contest in the city.
Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi, in his order, stated that the four nomination forms submitted by Kumbhani and Padsala were rejected due to apparent discrepancies found in the signatures of the proposers, which did not seem genuine upon initial inspection. Additionally, the affidavits provided by the proposers indicated that they did not sign the forms themselves. It's worth noting that Kumbhani's three proposers were revealed to be his relatives.
Following the claim made by the proposers, the Returning Officer provided Nilesh Kumbhani with one day to submit his response. Despite appearing with his advocate, none of Kumbhani's three proposers attended the meeting with the election officer. Furthermore, upon examination of the video footage at the request of the Congress candidate's lawyer, the presence of the signatories was not observed, as outlined in the order.
Amidst the unfolding events, the Congress levied allegations of foul play against the ruling BJP, asserting that individuals were intimidated by the government's threats. Congress leader and advocate Babu Mangukiya claimed that Kumbhani's three proposers had been kidnapped, emphasising the need for the Returning Officer to conduct an investigation into this matter rather than solely focusing on the presence of signatures on the form. Mangukiya criticised the decision to cancel the form without conducting telephonic verification of the signatures and without verifying the accuracy of the proposers' signatures.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed concern over the unfolding events, suggesting that the BJP's actions in the Surat Lok Sabha constituency were indicative of their fear and desperation. He alleged that the BJP was attempting to manipulate the election process, particularly in a region known for its support to the party since the 1984 Lok Sabha elections.
Ramesh emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating that the integrity of elections, democracy, and Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution was under severe threat. He reiterated the significance of the ongoing election, portraying it as the most crucial of our lifetime.
Image Source: Tribune India
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