After protest, BJP MP & Vadodara Lok Sabha seat candidate Ranjanben Bhatt pulls out of poll race

Her move comes days after banners criticising the BJP's decision to renominate her from the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat came up at different spots in the city.

Ahmedabad: Two BJP candidates - one from Vadodara and another from Sabarkantha Lok Sabha constituencies - have withdrawn their candidature citing personal reasons. The development comes amid rising protest within the party over their nominations.

Although the BJP is yet to make any official statements, insiders said that the candidates have communicated to withdraw their names following dissent among local workers over ticket distribution.

Days after being re-nominated to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Vadodara seat for the third time, two-term sitting BJP MP Ranjan Bhatt on Saturday withdrew her candidature citing "personal reasons" from Vadodara.

This withdrawal is likely to quell the rising dissent that the ruling BJP has been witnessing ever since the announcement of her name. The party had to suspend the national vice-president of its women's wing and former Vadodara Mayor Dr Jyoti Pandya after she openly rebelled against Bhatt's selection.

"I have been working for the party for 30 years. I am not a leader who has come from the opposition party. I have traveled across the country for the party leaving my family behind. I want to ask the party, what is it that I am lacking? I am a doctor and BJP is my DNA," Pandya told reporters while questioning the ticket to Bhatt without naming her.

Later, Savali MLA and local leader Ketan Inamdar, too, had sent off a resignation letter citing "inner voice" as his reason. Although he withdrew his resignation after talking to senior leaders, Bhatt's re-nomination was reported to be the reason.

Confirming the withdrawal, BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave told DH that "it was her personal choice." Bhatt also announced her decision not to contest the polls on her social media accounts. On X, she posted in Gujarati that “I am unwilling to contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls due to personal reasons.”

The sitting MP Bhatt had first won the seat in 2014 with a record 3 lakh margin in the by-election after Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the seat after choosing to represent Varanasi as an MP. Bhatt won the seat in the 2019 election as well with a record margin.

Following the rebellion against Bhatt, some posters against her candidature had also appeared in various parts of the city but investigation revealed several Congress leaders as responsible.

Similarly, BJP's Sabarkantha candidate Bhikhaji Thakor announced on social media that he was not willing to contest.

"I, Bhikhaji Thakor, am unwilling to contest the Sabarkantha Lok Sabha 2024 election due to personal reasons," Thakor said in a post on Instagram.

Sources in Sabarkantha said that "local workers were quite upset with his nomination. His caste credentials were also being raised whether he belonged to Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Caste."