BJP’s Mukesh Dalal secures victory without contest in Surat constituency

BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal has clinched victory uncontested in the Lok Sabha elections from Surat, marking the party’s first triumph in the polls. The BJP’s Gujarat division celebrated the first victory, stating, “Surat has presented the first lotus to pave the way for our beloved leader Narendrabhai to become Prime Minister once again…”

Dalal, aged 63, serves as the general secretary of the BJP’s Surat city unit and previously held the position of chairman of the standing committee in the BJP-administered Surat Municipal Corporation.

This development follows the rejection of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination, as his proposers claimed they did not endorse his candidacy.

Furthermore, the nomination form of Congress’ alternate candidate Suresh Padsala for Surat was also invalidated, eliminating the party from contention in the city’s electoral fray in Gujarat.

Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi cited discrepancies in the signatures of the proposers as the reason for rejecting the nomination forms of Kumbhani and Padsala, raising doubts about their authenticity.