A single-phase poll in Gujarat was suggested by the Congress while the BJP wanted the festival season of Navratri and Diwali to be factored in, as Election Commission heard their pleas on Monday ahead of the Assembly elections due in December this year.
The Opposition Congress also requested the EC that elections should not be held under in-charge DGP and that a full time DGP should be appointed. Chitranjan Singh is currently the in-charge DGP of the state.
The representations were made to the visiting Election Commission (EC) team headed by Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath.
Election commissioner H.S. Brahma and deputy Election commissioner Vinod Zutshi were also in the team.
The term of chief minister Narendra Modi’s government ends in December and he will be seeking a fourth term, while the Opposition Congress and anti-Modi group of the BJP, led by Mr Keshubhai Patel, have also started preparations for polls.
In a representation to the EC, a four-member team of Congress led by state vice-president Balubhai Patel demanded that looking at the situation in the state the elections should be held in one phase.
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Triangular contest: Keshu to form party
Ahmedabad, July 9: Gujarat is likely to witness a triangular fight in this year’s Assembly elections, as dissident BJP leaders, opposed to chief minister Narendra Modi and led by former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, are set to float their own party.
The other two contenders are well-entrenched ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress. Mr Keshubhai’s group has indicated that he would form a party, and a formal announcement is likely later this month. “It is more than 100 per cent certain that Keshubhai will form a new party and we will contest the elections on all 182 seats. There is no doubt that Keshubhai will lead the party,” said Mr Patel’s supporter Gordhan Zadafia. — PTI