Ahmedabad, 20/11: With the first phase of the Gujarat election barely two weeks away, the Gujarat BJP Sunday suspended seven of its leaders including two former MLAs for indiscipline. Defying the party’s instruction, these seven leaders are said to have filed nominations as independent candidates for the polls on December 1.
These suspended leaders include Harshad Vasava, a tribal leader contesting from the Nandod assembly seat in Narmada district, Arvind Ladani from Keshod seat in Junagadh, Chattrasinh Gunjara from Dhrangadhra seat in Surendranagar, Ketan from Pardi in Valsad, Bharat Chavda, Rajkot rural, Uday Shah from Veraval in Gir Somnath and Karan Baraiya from Rajula seat in Amreli district.
This is the first time that the BJP has suspended its leaders en masse around a high-stake assembly election. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah are also in Gujarat campaigning for the party. Another rebel BJP leader Madhu Shrivastav from Waghoda seat in Vadodara is contesting as an independent candidate.