Gujarat Congress is negotiating with the leaders of Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) seeking withdrawal of their candidates from Lok Sabha constituencies in order to ensure better possibilities for the Congress candidates, says a report of DNA.
According to the report, a Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, admitted that talks are going on between Congress and BTP. “Yes, we are in talks with BTP. It is an ongoing process,” the Congress leader said adding that the party is also trying to make sure that the nominations of the supporters of Congress MLA from Radhapur, Alpesh Thakor are withdrawn from the constituencies of Banaskantha and Sabarkantha. Congress is fielding two of its candidates Parthi Bhatol, a co-operative dairy leader and Rajendra Thakor from the two constituencies respectively.
There were reportedly unsuccessful attempts to form an alliance between the BTP and the Congress. Now the Congress, in an attempt to defeat BJP, is trying to remove the strong candidates fielded by BTP from the competition. BTP Supremo Chhotu Vasva is fighting from Bharuch constituency. Other leaders of the party namely Uttam Vasava, Pankaj Patel, Dharmendrasinh Kharadi, Ramesh Garasiya, Rajesh Vasava and Ashwin Vaghela are contesting from Bardoli (ST), Valsad (ST), Sabarkantha, Dahod (ST), Chhota Udepur and Ahmedabad – West (SC) constituencies respectively.
This only goes on to show that the Congress is not confident enough about its fate in the upcoming elections and is, therefore, trying to reduce, if not eliminate completely, the candidates which it feels might give its own candidates a tough competition.