Ahmedabad : It was a picture in contrast veteran MP Harin Pathak was contesting his sixth Lok Sabha election from Ahmedabad (east) and Dr Kirit Solanki was making his debut in electoral politics from Ahmedabad (west).

Violating the code of conduct was last thing on both their minds, so supporters were pooled into minimum number of cars and even personal security guards were not allowed in the election office
on Saturday.

Although Pathak had all his papers in place, Solanki failed to produce a party mandate and did not even file his affidavit which are mandatory while filing nominations.

Both the candidates assembled at the Khanpur office of the BJP with hundreds of their supporters which included former mayors, corporators among others. BJP vice-president Kaushik Patel, Kamlesh Patel, standing committee chairman Asit Vora, MLA Bharat Barot and Pradeepsinh Jadeja were also present at the BJP office.

Pathak left the BJP office with four supporters in just one car, with even his family members kept out. Instead there were corporators of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation with him when he filed nominations at the district panchayat office at Lal Darwaja.

Meanwhile, Solanki arrived in three cars with his supporters at the Ahmedabad collectorate. Former BJP minister Bharat Barot, with Kamlesh Patel, Ishvarbhai Chavda and others were waiting for Solanki inside collector Harit Shukla’s chamber. Solanki entered with Ahmedabad Mayor Kanaji Thakore and others in tow, almost violating the code which permits only four people to be present.

A police official shepherded Chavda and others out of the room while the rest coached Solanki on the procedure. Minutes after the auspicious vijay mahurat at 12.39 pm, Solanki signed his nomination papers with Thakore proposing his candidature.

BJP leader Jagdish Patel filed nomination as a dummy candidate for Pathak while there was no dummy candidate for Solanki.

Source: timesofindia