Eight candidates in fray for Gujarat's Jasdan byelection

Gandhinagar : Eight candidates are fighting it out for the much-hyped byelection to the Jasdan assembly constituency, polling for which will be held on Thursday.

All eyes are on the big two contenders from the BJP and Congress. The election was necessitated after cabinet minister Kunwarji Bavaliya quit the Congress to join the ruling BJP, which elevated him the same day recently.

Jasdan in Saurashtra region's Rajkot district has been a pocket borough of the opposition Congress and Bavaliya, who is a prominent Koli community leader.

The by-poll has gained significance in the backdrop of the BJP losing three of the Hindi heartland states in the recent state assembly elections.

After the exit of Bawaliya, the Congress has fielded another strong candidate from the Koli community, Avshar Nakia, who is known to have a strong ground connect, which analysts say will help him give a good fight to the BJP.

The Election Commission has deployed 1,150 personnel for Jasdan's 262 polling stations. Each polling station will have one presiding officer aided by three other personnel. "The observer, the Rajkot SP and the District Election Officer, have decided to appoint one micro observer.

The three members have also identified 25 polling sttions where video cameras will be installed. There will be webcasting in some 24 polling stations also, said Murli Krishna, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Gujarat.

The constituency has 2,32,236 voters comprising 1,22,180 male and 1,09,936 female voters. Besides that, there will be 120 services voters from various forces.

"All security arrangements have been made. Today we have dispatched the men and material required for the by-poll," said Murli Krishna.