SURAT: Even before the curtains have drawn on the nation's electoral stage and a fortnight ahead of Gujarat's first ballot, the state sent a member to Lok Sabha. BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared Monday as uncontested winner from Surat as all other eight candidates in the fray withdrew after the rejection of Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination the day before.
"This victory is the precursor to winning 400 seats," Dalal, who was contesting his maiden election, said.
Dalal likely first BJP pick to win unopposed Dalal is also likely the first BJP member to achieve this feat, following 34 candidates from other parties who have won the Lok Sabha polls unopposed since 1951, according to PTI.
District collector and election officer Saurabh Pardhi handed the certificate of election to Dalal, who was contesting his maiden elections, after the last hour of withdrawal of nomination. "This victory is the precursor to winning 400 seats," Dalal said. State BJP president CR Paatil said: "This is the first victory in BJP's target of winning 400 seats. We dedicate this win to PM Narendra Modi."
Kumbhani's nomination was rejected due to discrepancies in the signatures of his proposers who filed an affidavit stating that they had not signed his papers. His dummy candidate Suresh Padsala's form was also rendered invalid for the same reason.
Surat has been overwhelmingly voting for BJP since 1989. BJP chose Dalal over sitting MP and Union minister Darshana Jardosh, who had won the seat consecutively in 2009, 2014 and 2019. Dalal, who has MBA and LLB degrees, was elected municipal councillor from Adajan Pal Palanpore ward for three terms from 2005.