Amid revolt, those in Cong’s hushed-up list file nominations

Even as rebellion spread in the state Congress, candidates whose name figured in the second list that was released late Wednesday night and withdrawn soon thereafter began filing their nominations on Friday.

Though the second list has not been made official, top party leaders were calling up candidates to give them the mandate verbally, sources said.

There were at least five resignations by office-bearers of the state Congress after the Wednesday episode.

Though the second list of 46 names was withdrawn two hours after being released Wednesday night, a new list doing the rounds as the official one on Friday named former MP Jashu Barad as the candidate from Talala constituency in Junagadh, instead of his brother Bhagwan Barad who has already filed his nomination claiming to have an official mandate from Congress.

The other changes related to Dharmesh Patel, who has been nominated from Valsad instead of Jalalpore as stated in the Wednesday list, and Pravin Maru, who has been nominated from Gadhadha.

From Jalalpore, Rajiv Panchal is the Congress candidate. Dinesh Kachchadiya will be fielded from Surat North.

Meanwhile, troubles mounted for Congress in Saurashtra as workers vandalised its office in Bhuj on Friday and all 24 councillors in Junagadh threatened to quit if deputy mayor Girish Kotecha was not given a ticket.

In central Gujarat, a section of Congress workers are up in arms against the party's alliance with the NCP on two seats — Akota in Vadodara and Shehra in Panchmahals. A number of office-bearers and leaders have threatened to resign.

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