Lok Sabha Polls 2019: BJP drops Paresh Rawal, picks HS Patel from Ahmedabad East Seat

New Delhi, Apr 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a run-up to the general elections 2019 replaced Actor-turned Politician Paresh Rawal from Ahmedabad East Parliamentary Seat in Gujarat. The party has decided to field Hasmukh S Patel who is an MLA of Amraiwadi for Ahmedabad-East Lok Sabha seat.

H S Patel is a two-time lawmaker from Amraiwadi Assembly seat. He had won is assembly polls twice in 2012 and 2017. The party has dropped Paresh Rawal after the Actor has shown his willingness not to contest the mega battle of ballots 2019.

Reacting to Patel's announcement as the new candidate from his constituency, Rawal tweeted, "Flying out of Chennai to my constituency to congratulate and support our BJP candidate from amdavad east Shri H S Patel. Am sure and certain that he will win with thunderous margin and excel in his duties as Member of Parliament."

Rawal had earlier said that he has told the party that he doesn't want to contest the national elections 2019.

He was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, "I had told the party four to five months ago that I do not want to contest the elections. But, ultimately it is the party's decision."

The party with the announcement of H S Patel has now declared candidates on 370 Parliamentary Seats with 24 in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Congress has fielded Hardik Patel's colleague in PAAS and the quota agitation's female face Gita Patel from this seat and as such, made it necessary for the BJP to field a Patel leader to keep the largest voters' chunk on their side.

Congress has so far declared candidates on 24 seats out of the total 26 seats of the state.