BJP, AAP Field Many Turncoats In Gujarat; Congress Prefers Loyalists
NDTV
BJP and Aam Aadmi Party have rewarded several leaders, who quit rival parties and joined them, by offering them tickets for the Assembly polls
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have rewarded several leaders, who quit rival political parties and joined them, by offering tickets to them to contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, while Congress has preferred to field party loyalists, including 21 sitting MLAs.
The BJP, opposition Congress and the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP have so far declared candidates for 160, 89 and 174 seats, respectively, for the election to the 182-member Assembly to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.
According to the BJP's list of 160 candidates it released on yesterday, out of 20 MLAs who resigned from the Congress after winning the 2017 Assembly elections, the ruling party has fielded nine. It has also given a ticket to former Congress working president Hardik Patel.
However, the BJP is yet to decide on the fate of former Congress MLAs Alpesh Thakor and Bhavesh Katara as it has so far not named candidates for the seats they represented.