Gujarat civic polls: 1,572 candidates withdraw, 325 win unopposed

Hectic political activity, characterized by allegations by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of coercion and threats to candidates to withdraw nominations, marked Wednesday, the last day for withdrawing nominations for the local body elections.In all, 1,572 candidates withdrew their nominations, 325 candidates were declared uncontested winners, and 26,140 candidates remain in the fray for the April 26 election for 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats. According to SEC figures, 3,204 candidates remain in the fray for municipal corporation elections, 5,589 for municipality elections, 22 for municipality byelections, 3,127 for district panchayat elections, and 14,198 for taluka panchayat elections. On Wednesday, four Congress candidates released videos, alleging that they were being coerced and threatened by BJP workers to withdraw their nominations in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation election. Bina Modi, candidate from the Isanpur ward, said in a video statement that she was offered Rs 30 lakh to withdraw her nomination. Ruhi Shah, the Congress candidate from the Jodhpur ward, alleged in a video statement that BJP member Raju Amarkotiya told her that Rosewood Estate society, where she resides, is a "BJP society" and that she should withdraw her nomination. She also alleged she was offered money to withdraw her candidature. A third Congress candidate, Nehal Panchal of the Chandlodia ward, said in a video statement that she has shifted temporarily with her two children to the Congress office, as she was threatened "to be transported on a stretcher" if she did not withdraw her candidature. Pradip Patel, another candidate from the same ward, also issued a video statement alleging that BJP workers barged into his office and coerced him to withdraw his candidature. Meanwhile, AAP moved all its candidates of the Surat Municipal Corporation polls to a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city. The candidates allege that they were being intimidated out of the poll fray. Congress workers protested in Surat after one of the party's candidates arrived to withdraw his nomination. In Dabhoi taluka of Vadodara, Congress and BJP workers grappled with each other after supporters of BJP MLA Shailesh Mehta and Dabhoi taluka Congress president Sudhir Barot clashed over the withdrawal of a Congress candidate. Cops had to intervene to control the situation. Tense scenes were witnessed in Sutrapada of Gir-Somnath district, as Congress and AAP workers alleged that one candidate each of Congress and AAP were escorted to the mamlatdar's office by BJP workers to withdraw their nomination papers on Wednesday. In a rare instance of a BJP candidate withdrawing his nomination, Bharat Samla from the Kamrej-2 taluka panchayat, pulled out from the race after a strong protest by the majority tribal community. The community wants a tribal candidate to be fielded from the seat. Congress media convener Manish Doshi alleged on Wednesday that a majority of district home guards commandants were affiliated with BJP. "Such persons should not be part of security arrangements if elections are to be free and fair," he said.Polling across the civic bodies will be held on April 26, while counting of votes across the state is scheduled for April 28.
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