Political parties have finalised their candidates for the upcoming by-elections in Gujarat&rsquo;s Kadi and Visavadar Assembly constituencies, with polling scheduled for June 19 and vote counting set for June 23. The nomination deadline for both seats is on Monday.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Rajendra Chavda as its candidate for Kadi, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. Chavda, a seasoned party worker from Jotana in Mehsana district, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and entered politics in 1972 with the Jan Sangh. He became a BJP member on December 6, 1980, and served as a member of the Mehsana Taluka Panchayat from 1981 to 1986. His longstanding grassroots involvement and loyalty to the party have positioned him as a reliable choice for the BJP.
For the Visavadar seat, the BJP has nominated Kirit Patel, a former district president. The party is promoting Patel as a strong local representative capable of maintaining its support in the region amid rising political competition. Despite earlier speculation around Bhupat Bhayani and Harshad Ribadiya, the BJP&rsquo;s selection of Patel was unexpected.
The Congress has named Ramesh Chavda as its candidate for Kadi. Chavda, 69, previously won the seat in the 2012 by-election with a margin of 1,217 votes but was defeated by the BJP in 2017. In 2022, Congress chose a different candidate, who also lost to the BJP.&nbsp;
Chavda is known for having defeated prominent BJP leader Hitu Kanodiya during his earlier tenure as MLA. His nomination is reportedly backed by the party&rsquo;s working president, Jignesh Mevani, making him a politically significant contender. He is expected to submit his nomination shortly.
In Visavadar, Congress has fielded Nitin Ranpariya, a former District Panchayat member from Bhensan. Ranpariya is closely associated with multiple Leuva Patel community organisations and charitable trusts. His nomination aligns with the constituency's historical trend, where most political parties prefer candidates from the Leuva Patidar community.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also contesting both seats, has selected Jagdish Chavda for Kadi and Gopal Italia for Visavadar. AAP&rsquo;s Gujarat State President, Isudan Gadhvi, announced the candidates and declared, &ldquo;AAP will fight and win in both Kadi and Visavadar. The people will hear the sound of victory from AAP.&rdquo;
The Kadi seat became vacant following the death of the sitting BJP MLA, while the Visavadar seat was left unoccupied after the resignation of the AAP MLA, who subsequently joined the BJP. With nominations now confirmed by BJP, Congress, and AAP, a three-way contest is expected in Visavadar, while Kadi is set for a multi-cornered electoral battle.
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From Left: Shaktisinh Gohil (Cong Prez), CR Patil (BJP Prez), and Isudan Gadhvi (AAP Prez)

BJP, Congress, and AAP finalise nominees for Kadi and Visavadar bypolls ahead of June 19 voting.

Parties Announce Candidates for Gujarat Bypolls

BJP, Congress, and AAP finalise nominees for Kadi and Visavadar bypolls ahead of June 19 voting.

June 2, 2025 | 11:26 IST