1,534 file nominations for phase 1

A total of 1,534 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the 87 constituencies in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections scheduled for December 13. Saturday was the last day today for filing the nomination papers for the first phase of the polls.

The scrutiny of nomination forms will take place on November 26 and the last date of withdrawal of forms is November 28. Voting will take place on December 13.

"We have received nomination forms of 1,534 candidates for the first phase. A total of 988 candidates filed their nominations today," said Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Manek. At least 44 candidates filed their nominations for the Surat (East) Assembly seat — the highest number of nominations filed for any seat in the first phase. Here Congress' Kadir Pirzada is pitted against BJP's Ranjit Gilitwala. In the last four days,a total of 485 forms were filled by 286 candidates for 16 Assembly seats in Surat district. The Congress has filed the most number of nominantions at 31, followed by BJP's 28, BSP's 23 and Gujarat Parivartan Party's 19. 185 people have filed nomination papers as Independents.

Among those who filed the nominations today included Gujarat Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia from Porbandar Assembly seat where the BJP has fielded Babubhai Bokhiriya.

There was heavy rush to file nominations on the last day as parties like Congress and Gujarat Parivartan Party finalised their candidates last night. About 1.81 crore electors from Saurashtra, South Gujarat and four talukas — Sanand, Viramgam, Dholka and Dhandhuka — in western part of Ahmedabad will exercise their franchise in the first phase of voting.

Cong candidate is richest of them

Indranil Rajyaguru, the Congress candidate from Rajkot, is the richest candidate in the fray for phase one with assets worth over Rs 123 crores. Rajyaguru is contesting against BJP's Kashyap Shukla. He filed his nomination form on Saturday.

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