Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry president files nomination papers

SURAT: Despite facing criticism from former presidents and senior members of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), its current president Paresh Patel filed his nomination papers for Veer Narmad South Gujarat University's (VNSGU) senate election from science faculty on Monday.
Patel, who is a science graduate, filed his nomination papers against five times senate member and senior Congress leader Hosang Mirza.Groups opposing BJP have charged that the party and its affiliates are treating the senate elections as a ground for bigger political test. Patel was announced as the candidate of Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), students' wing of the BJP.
Sources said ABVP and some of the senior BJP leaders have thrown their weight behind the SGpresident to defeat Mirza. "It is very sad that despite opposition from SGCCI office-bearers and past presidents, Patel has filed his nomination papers for the senate election as an ABVP candidate. He has publicized his political affiliations while holding the important post of SGCCI president," said a senior office-bearer of SGCCI.
Sources said, he was eyeing the assembly election as well.