Suspense over BJP’s candidate selection in Manjalpur constituency of Vadodara finally came to an end, as the party zeroed in on incumbent Yogesh Patel. Earlier, the Saffron party was contemplating dropping the seven-term MLA.
The 75-year-old, however, was in no mood to be pushed over. Patel had refused to attend the meeting presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had to rush to quell dissent over the distribution of tickets. With the last day of filing nominations approaching, the unease was palpable. Rumours were abuzz that if denied the ticket by BJP, Patel would contest as an independent.
It is not often that the BJP, which prides itself as a cadre-based party with disciplined workers, bows down to pressure tactics. The current scenario proves yet again how the BJP is electorally vulnerable in the upcoming elections.
