Lok Sabha elections: Congress picks A J Patel for Mehsana

GANDHINAGAR: After days of waiting, late on Monday night the Congress named senior leader

A J Patel

as its candidate for the Mehsana

Lok Sabha

seat. The BJP had not named its candidate from Mehsana till late on Tuesday evening.


A J Patel is the founder of the influential 84 Gaam Patidar Sanstha, and is widely respected in the Kadva Patel community in the district. A former senior government officer, he served in various departments for 20 years before joining politics. Patel served as the district panchayat president of Patan in the late 1990s.

A mechanical engineering graduate, Patel is the founder chairman of Gujarat Ambuja Cooperative Bank Ltd. He is chairman of the Akhil Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary School Managements Mahamandal. He is also president of the Sikotar Mata Sewa Trust. He had contested the 2002 assembly

elections

after being denied the

Congress ticket

for the Chanasma seat.

Patel is considered as the best candidate Congress can field on this seat, which the BJP has dominated. A few leaders of the Thakor community from Mehsana district had opposed his candidature.