In a massive setback to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat, the Gujarat High Court has invalidated the win of minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma from the Dholka Constituency in 2017 assembly elections.
Bhupendrasinh Chudasma is handling Minister of Education, Law and Justice portfolio of Vijayrupani led Gujarat government. He won the Dholka assembly constituency with a thin margin of 327 that was challenged by his rival Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod.
Ashwin Rathod alleged that the returning officer and the Deputy Collector of Dholka have indulged in manipulation during the counting process and had cancelled 429 postal ballots. Justice Paresh Upadhyay declared Chudasama’s election as void on grounds of malpractice and manipulation.
Deputy CM says, party stand by Chudasma
Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel said that the party stands by Chudasma as he has been an active member of the political party since the days of Jan Sangh. The Gujarat high court order will be challenged in Supreme court. He also alleged that the legal experts indulged in a conspiracy to cancel Chudasma’s membership to the assembly and thereby ministry stands cancelled by this order.
Patel said that further decision will be taken by the government after consulting the party high-command.
Gujarat Elections 2017
The 14th Gujarat Assembly election was held on 9 December 2017 and 14 december 2017 on 182 legislative assemblies in Gujarat. The election was won decisively by incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party and Vijay Rupani was made the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
However, there was a decrease in the number of seats BJP got in comparison to 2012, the political party again managed to retain thier absolute majority in the house.
