Prabhatsinh Chauhan seeks support to contest as rebel

Denied a ticket by the BJP, sitting Panchmahal MP

Prabhatsinh Chauhan

went on a whirlwind tour of his constituency seeking support from his sympathisers.

Chauhan

has said that if they wish, he will contest the ensuing

Lok Sabha

polls.

Chauhan, who had humbled Shankarsinh Waghela in 2009 and won comfortably in 2014, was not granted a ticket as the BJP on Wednesday announced the name of Ratansinh Rathod as their candidate. Chauhan has blamed Shehra BJP MLA Jetha Ahir aka Jetha Bharwad for the decision.

Speaking to supporters in Kalol, Chauhan said that Ahir had used his connections in the party to ensure that he did not get a ticket. The reason, according to Chauhan, was that he was seeking reorganisation of the areas covered by the Panchamrut Dairy and the Panchmahal District Cooperative Bank. According to Chauhan, both these institutions headed by Ahir catered to three districts – Panchmahal, Godhra and Mahisagar. He told supporters that it was necessary to split the dairy and the bank and Ahir was against this.

Chauhan told supporters that he would visit all the talukas of the constituency and seek the opinion of people there. “If they wish, I will contest the polls. I will file my nomination on April 1,” he said.