Congress Faces Setback in Gujarat as Surat Lok Sabha Candidate's Nomination Cancelled

In a significant blow to Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the nomination of Nilesh Kumbhani, the party's candidate from the Surat Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, has been canceled. The decision was made by the election officer and Surat District Collector following objections raised by the BJP election agent regarding the signatures of Kumbhani's supporters.

The scrutiny of Kumbhani's nomination papers began on Saturday, during which BJP's election agent, Dinesh Jodhani, raised objections to the signatures of Kumbhani's supporters, including those of a dummy candidate fielded by the BJP. Jodhani alleged that the signatures of the supporters were false and submitted an affidavit to that effect.

Kumbhani and his lawyer, Zameer Shaikh, appeared before the election officer, requesting additional time to address the issue. Despite the plea, the election officer proceeded with the hearing on Sunday, during which the four missing supporters were not present. As a result, the election officer, along with the Surat District Collector, decided to cancel Kumbhani's nomination.

Darshan Nayak, a Congress leader, accused the BJP of orchestrating the cancellation of Kumbhani's nomination and claimed that there was a growing anti-BJP sentiment in Gujarat due to issues such as unemployment, inflation, and anti-farmer policies.

Meanwhile, Zameer Shaikh, representing Kumbhani, criticized the election officer's decision, citing a previous instance in 2022 where a similar attempt to cancel the nomination of an AAP candidate was thwarted. Shaikh argued that the signatures should be examined by a handwriting expert before rejecting the nomination, and criticized the election officer for ignoring their pleas.

With Kumbhani's nomination cancelled, Congress will now be contesting on 23 seats in Gujarat, facing a tough challenge in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.