Surat : The resentment among Congress workers in Surat against Nilesh Kumbhani, the party's candidate for the Lok Sabha seat, is escalating. After staging protests at Kumbhani's residence and displaying banners on bridges, the discontent has now manifested in the form of stickers and posters plastered on buses and autorickshaws.

On Friday, Congress workers visibly expressed their displeasure by affixing stickers and posters onto city buses and autorickshaws near the railway station. The posters depict Nilesh Kumbhani as a BJP broker and a traitor to Surat.

The Surat Lok Sabha seat has historically been one of the BJP's strongest seats. Congress had aimed to contest from Surat by nominating a Patidar candidate. However, due to the candidate's alleged negligence, the nomination papers were rejected. Subsequently, other party candidates withdrew, leading to BJP's Mukesh Dalal winning the seat unopposed. This development has left Congress workers incensed.

Just two days prior, Congress workers had protested at Nilesh Kumbhani's residence, and banners were unfurled against him on Thursday. The protests escalated on Friday, with workers now targeting vehicles within the city with stickers and posters.

Congress leader Kalpesh Barot criticized Kumbhani, stating that while the government is conducting voter awareness campaigns, Kumbhani has deprived people of their right to vote. An organization has been formed to coordinate the sticker and poster campaign, centered near the railway station. Barot accused Nilesh Kumbhani of betraying the trust of 18 lakh voters in the region.