Gujarat BJP Make History with Unopposed Victory in Surat Lok Sabha Seat

Surat : The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP)  assured unopposed victory in the Surat Lok Sabha constituency with all eight candidates including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) withdrawing their candidatures on the last day on Monday  following the cancellation of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination on Sunday.

Amidst the political upheaval preceding the third phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, the landscape in Surat has undergone a seismic transformation. The BJP has garnered a historic unopposed victory in the Surat Lok Sabha seat after facing the unexpected obstacle in the form of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). This means that the electorate in Surat will not be able to participate in the election festival.

Gujarat BJP President CR Paatil tweeted, “Surat offered first lotus to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi !! Congratulation and best wishes to Surat Lok Sabha seat candidate Shri Mukeshbhai Dalal for getting elected unopposed!!”

Shaktisinh Gohil, president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) said the Congress’ legal team is monitoring all aspects. The legal team is examining whether to file a petition in the High Court first and then go to the Supreme Court or go directly to the Supreme Court. This is a very good matter on merit, so it will be fought till the end.

Pyarelal Bharati, a BSP candidate from the Surat Lok Sabha seat had gone missing since Sunday evening. He had gone to Vadodara with his family and since not returned to Surat. On the last day of withdrawing the nomination form on Monday, efforts were being made by the BJP to contact Bharati.

IT is learnt from the sources within the Congress and that Parelal Bharati was in constant touch with the Congress leader after the high-voltage drama and the withdrawl of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani.

The cancellation of Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination and the withdrawal of seven independent candidates initially appeared to have a clear path for the BJP’s Mukesh Dalal to ascend to the role of Member of Parliament (MP) unopposed. However, the emergence of the BSP’s candidacy threatened to disrupt this trajectory, injecting a new element of uncertainty into the electoral landscape.

However, the BSP candidate Bharati appeared at the district election office (DEO) in Surat on Monday afternoon and started the process of withdrawing his nomination paper, securing the historic unopposed victory for BJP’s Mukesh Dalal.

The Election Commission of India’s handbook for returning officers outlines the protocol for “unopposed returns,” stipulating that a single contesting candidate in a constituency shall be declared duly elected immediately after the withdrawal deadline.

Historically, instances of uncontested Lok Sabha election victories have been rare, with the last recorded occurrence dating back to 1989 when Mohammad Shafi Bhat emerged triumphant from Srinagar. Surat’s forthcoming unopposed election victory, once seemingly assured, now hangs in the balance, underscoring the unpredictable nature of Indian politics.

The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Surat, renowned for its vibrant diamond industry and bustling commercial hub, finds itself at the center of a political storm with far-reaching implications for India’s democratic journey.

BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was greeted by the Surat BJP president Niranjan Zanzmera at the BJP headquarters in Udhana on Monday with the symbolic sweet distribution among the workers.