Former Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Sunday withdrew from the race for the Mehsana constituency, which wasn’t one of many 15 seats for which the BJP announced its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in its first list.
In a letter posted on social media, Patel, who served because the Deputy Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021, stated, “Candidates for 15 Lok Sabha seats of the state have been declared yesterday (Saturday) and the method of choice of a Mehsana Lok Sabha candidate continues to be happening.”
“Earlier than this, I withdrew my candidature as BJP candidate.”
In his letter, he additionally expressed hope for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to safe a 3rd time period.
Patel’s announcement got here a day after the BJP launched its first listing of upcoming Lok Sabha election candidates, with notable adjustments, together with the alternative of 33 sitting MPs with new faces.
The listing has a complete of 95 names, together with 34 central ministers and two former Chief Ministers in Assam, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, and West Bengal.
In Gujarat, 5 sitting MPs have been dropped.
(Inputs by Brajesh Doshi)