BJP candidate wins Surat seat unopposed in Lok Sabha elections
In the first victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, its candidate Mukesh Dalal won unopposed from the Surat seat in Gujarat. This happened after the disqualification of the Congress candidate's nomination due to inconsistencies in their proposers' signatures. The eight other candidates from the Surat Lok Sabha seat also reportedly withdrew their nominations on Monday, paving the way for the BJP candidate to be elected uncontested.
BJP leaders celebrate Dalal's unopposed victory on social media
Following Dalal's unopposed win, BJP's Gujarat President, CR Paatil, expressed joy on social media. He wrote, "Surat offered first lotus to Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi!! Congratulations and best wishes to Mukeshbhai Dalal, Surat Lok Sabha candidate for being elected unopposed." Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also joined in the celebrations online. "This is the beginning of the historic victory of the BJP in the whole of India," Patel said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Congress candidate's nomination rejected over signature discrepancies
To recall, the nomination of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and his substitute were rejected by Returning Officer (RO) and Surat Collector Sourabh Pardhi due to "discrepancies in the signature of proposers." The decision was made under Section 36 (2) of Representation of the People Act, 1951. This law allows ROs to examine papers and objections raised against nominations. After the BJP raised objections to Kumbhani's nomination forms, a special hearing was conducted.
Congress alleges 'murder of democracy'
In response to the rejection of Kumbhani's nomination, Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil claimed that the decision was influenced by BJP, terming it a "murder of democracy." Gohil announced that the party would challenge the decision in high court. He alleged a "conspiracy" to cancel the nomination of the Congress's candidates, indicating a potential legal battle ahead in this contentious Lok Sabha election.
Results of 7-phase polling on June 4
Polling for the first phase of the high-stakes Lok Sabha elections began on April 19. As many as 102 constituencies spread across 21 states went to polls that day. The subsequent phases will be held on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Around 96.9 crore people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase election—which will be conducted at over 12 lakh polling stations.
