<p>The BJP has given tickets to as many as 31 Muslim candidates in Bharuch district for February 28 elections to local bodies in Gujarat.</p>.<p>According to Marutisinh Atodariya, district BJP chief, this is for the first time that the party has fielded so many candidates from the Muslim community in the district.</p>.<p>But he denied that this has anything to do with a rival alliance between the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) and Asaduddin Owaisi's All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen.</p>.<p>Bharuch district, with a sizable number of Muslim voters, will see elections to the district panchayat, nine taluka (tehsil) panchayats and four municipalities.</p>.<p>"Of total 320 candidates declared by the BJP parliamentary board on Wednesday for the district, 31 are Muslim, the highest ever in Bharuch so far," Atodariya said.</p>.<p>Some candidates may be replaced if their nominations get rejected by the election authorities, he added.</p>.<p>Bharuch district panchayat, which has 34 seats, was ruled by the Congress and Jhaghadia MLA Chhotu Vasava's BTP which was formed following a split in the JD(U).</p>.<p>Recently, Vasava announced poll alliance with AIMIM and also held a joint rally with Owaisi last week.</p>.<p>But Atodariya denied that this alliance prompted the saffron party to pick more Muslim candidates.</p>.<p>"We have not selected candidates just because they belong to a minority community. They were selected on merit. For instance, we have selected a Muslim BJP worker for Valia seat in district panchayat where Hindus are in majority," he said.</p>.<p>The BJP's acceptability among Muslims has increased and many of them have joined the party, he claimed.</p>
<p>The BJP has given tickets to as many as 31 Muslim candidates in Bharuch district for February 28 elections to local bodies in Gujarat.</p>.<p>According to Marutisinh Atodariya, district BJP chief, this is for the first time that the party has fielded so many candidates from the Muslim community in the district.</p>.<p>But he denied that this has anything to do with a rival alliance between the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) and Asaduddin Owaisi's All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen.</p>.<p>Bharuch district, with a sizable number of Muslim voters, will see elections to the district panchayat, nine taluka (tehsil) panchayats and four municipalities.</p>.<p>"Of total 320 candidates declared by the BJP parliamentary board on Wednesday for the district, 31 are Muslim, the highest ever in Bharuch so far," Atodariya said.</p>.<p>Some candidates may be replaced if their nominations get rejected by the election authorities, he added.</p>.<p>Bharuch district panchayat, which has 34 seats, was ruled by the Congress and Jhaghadia MLA Chhotu Vasava's BTP which was formed following a split in the JD(U).</p>.<p>Recently, Vasava announced poll alliance with AIMIM and also held a joint rally with Owaisi last week.</p>.<p>But Atodariya denied that this alliance prompted the saffron party to pick more Muslim candidates.</p>.<p>"We have not selected candidates just because they belong to a minority community. They were selected on merit. For instance, we have selected a Muslim BJP worker for Valia seat in district panchayat where Hindus are in majority," he said.</p>.<p>The BJP's acceptability among Muslims has increased and many of them have joined the party, he claimed.</p>