BJP's First Win Before Polls, Walkover in Surat. Here's What Happened
In a surprising turn of events, BJP's candidate Mukesh Dalal has secured victory in the Surat Lok Sabha seat even before the polls began. Here's a breakdown of what transpired:
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Unopposed Victory: Mukesh Dalal won the Surat Lok Sabha seat as all his opponents withdrew from the race, effectively giving him a walkover.
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Rejection of Congress Candidate's Form: Nilesh Kumbhani, the Congress candidate, faced setbacks as his nomination form was rejected by the Returning Officer due to the absence of his proposers.
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Discrepancies in Signatures: The BJP raised concerns regarding the authenticity of the signatures of three proposers in Kumbhani's nomination form, leading to its rejection.
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Nomination Invalidation: Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate, also had his nomination form invalidated, further diminishing the party's presence in the poll fray.
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Allegations of Foul Play: Congress accused the BJP of foul play, alleging that Kumbhani's proposers were coerced or kidnapped. They criticized the rejection of the nomination forms without thorough verification of signatures.
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Congress' Response: Congress leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation, highlighting the importance of fair elections and democratic processes.
This development has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in Surat. With BJP securing an early win, it sets an intriguing tone for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.