The (BJP) on Friday released its fifth list of candidates for the second phase of Gujarat Assembly polls. The list with 13 names includes four from the Patidar community, including Vallabhbhai Kakadiya, a sitting minister.

With today’s addition, the BJP has so far announced 147 names for the 182-member Assembly.

Similar to the earlier lists, the caste factor dominated the latest as well. The four Patidar candidates will contest from Thakkarbapa Nagar in Ahmedabad, Unjha, Vijapur and Nadiad.

The voting for the 13 constituencies will take place on December 14.

In the latest list, the party repeated three legislators and one woman candidate, with three sitting MLAs not given the ticket.

Sumanben Chauhan, daughter-in-law of Prabhatsinh Chauhan, MP from Panchmahala, is being fielded from Kalol.

Lalji Mer from Dhandhuka has been replaced by Kalubhai Dabhi.

Age no bar Interestingly, the BJP, which had set an electoral ‘retirement age’ for its members at 75 years, citing which former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel had quit, is fielding Narayan Patel, 77, from Unjha.

From Idar, the party has fielded Gujarati actor Hitesh Kanodia. In the earlier list, Ramanlal Vora, Assembly Speaker and MLA from Idar, was shifted to Dasada constituency. Kanodia, whose father and uncle are also famous film stars, enjoys a fan-following in the State.

The BJP has fielded Amit Chaudhary from Mansa, Vijay Chakraborty from Vadgam, Ranchhod Rabari from Patan, Ramanlal Patel from Vijapur, Karsan Solanki from Kadi in north Gujarat, and Piyush Desai from Navsari, Dushyant Patel from Bharuch, Arvind Chaudhari from Vyara, Vivek Patel from Udhna in south Gujarat.

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