Of the 160 candidates named in the BJP’s first list for the Gujarat assembly elections, 14 are women and come from various professions. One doctor, two deputy mayors and the other public celebrities are to contest this assembly election.
Gujarat BJP state president C R Paatil said that this time more women have been given the responsibility than ever before. For the other 22 seats, more women members are likely to join the party.
BJP Dr Payal Kukrani in Naroda
Dr Payal Kukrani, a 30-year-old anaesthetist, is the youngest woman to get a ticket for Naroda assembly seat in Ahmedabad. The BJP’s decision to give ticket to Dr Payal Kukrani has sparked anger among leaders and workers as Kukrani’s father has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case. BJP workers and supporters of outgoing MLA Balram Thawani staged a protest by closing shops and establishments in Kubernagar after his name was announced as the Naroda candidate.
Kukrani, a doctor at the Civil Hospital and serving in various private hospitals. Her mother Reshma Kukrani is a BJP councillor from Kubernagar ward. This is the third time that she has been given the Naroda BJP ticket. Former ministers Maya Kodnani and Nirmala Wadhwani were also doctors.
Pathologist Darshita Shah is BJP’s candidate from Rajkot West
The BJP 53-year-old pathologist Dr Darshita Shah for the Rajkot West seat. He is the Deputy Mayor of Rajkot. After getting the BJP ticket, Dr. Darshita Shah said that, “I got the ticket because of the blessings of God, party, people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I have the experience of working in the municipal corporation, which I will use to achieve grand success in the assembly elections”.
Dr. Darshana Deshmukh at Vasava Maidan at Nandod
Dr Darshana Deshmukh Vasava, a social activist and gynaecologist and director of various government institutions, has been given the BJP ticket from Nandod seat in Narmada district, which is reserved for scheduled tribe candidates. Dr Darshana’s father Chandu Deshmukh was a stalwart of the BJP and had defeated Ahmed Patel in Bharuch in 1989. He works as a gynaecologist at Rajpipla Civil Hospital.
Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja is bjp’s Jamnagar North candidate
Thirty-two-year-old Rivaba Jadeja, who is married to cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, has been given the BJP ticket for Jamnagar North seat in place of Dharmendrasinh alias Hakubha Jadeja. Rivaba Jadeja is a mechanical engineer from Rajkot, and she considers herself a social worker.
Darshana Vaghela gets BJP ticket from Asarwa
Darshana Vaghela, 50-year-old, former deputy mayor of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and former chairman of Gujarat Safai Kamdaar Board, has been given a BJP ticket from Asarwa in place of Social Justice Minister Pradeep Parmar. They belong to the Valmiki community of scheduled castes.
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