The group believes -- and says it has conveyed this view to the high command -- that the choice of candidates for Saurashtra was wrong and this would mean gifting at least five seats to the BJP in that region. The faction is also hurt that new entrant Shankersinh Vaghela has walked away with at least four seats for his men.

After sulking for long, the group has decided to raise the banner of revolt against the probable denial of a ticket to former Union minister Urmilaben Patel. The group leaders have rallied behind Urmilaben as they see it as a good opportunity to strike a bargain.

The dissension is so strong that even reports of Virji Thumar getting clearance for the Amreli seat have failed to quieten them. Thumar was the other candidate they were insisting on a ticket for. ``We will not be in a position to participate in the campaign work unless Urmilaben is given a party ticket for Vadodara seat,'' a prominent group leader reiterated. ``Urmilen was given an express assurance long ago by the high command that she would be given a ticket for Vadodara.

"It is only after this assurance that she started election preparations in the constituency a couple of months ago,'' claimed former Deputy Chief Minister Narhari Amin.

Hinting at the shape things could take if Patel was denied the ticket, Amin said JD(G) leaders would hold a meeting to chalk out their future plans. Asked if any of the group members would join Sharad Pawar if Urmilaben was denied a ticket, he said no one would do so.

But former Chief Minister Chhabildas Mehta played his cards close to his chest though he seemed quite confident that in the case of Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh and Bhavnagar seats, none of the names which have been finalised so far would win. He said no discussion on names had taken place at the State level and only a panel of names were sent to Delhi. Mehta said that the panels did include the names of those who could win the election but they did not figure in the list which was finalised.

Brahmkumar Bhatt, member of Rajya Sabha, said C D Patel and Amarsinh Chaudhary were trying their best to convince the high command to select the best candidates keeping in view ``ground realities''. He expressed the hope that the two leaders would succeed in their efforts.