The BJP has expelled former MLA Mavji Patel, who is contesting as an independent in the Vav bypoll in Gujarat, along with four others, from the primary membership of the party and suspended them.
Patel, a director of Banas Bank, is running against the BJP’s official candidate Swarupji Thakor in the bypoll scheduled for 13 November, which was called following the election of Congress MLA Geniben Thakor to the Lok Sabha.
At 73, Patel hails from the influential Chaudhary community and seeks to disrupt the BJP's traditional hold on Chaudhary votes.
He had won the Vav seat in 1990 as a Janata Dal candidate before joining Congress and later shifting to the BJP in 2019 after being denied a ticket for the 2017 Assembly elections from Tharad.
In 2012, Patel contested as the Congress candidate in Tharad, Banaskantha district, but lost to the BJP. When he was again denied a ticket for the 2017 elections, he stood as an independent, but was defeated by BJP’s Parbatbhai Patel.
Alongside Patel, the BJP also suspended four other leaders from Banaskantha: Laljibhai Chaudhary, Devjibhai Patel, Dalrambhai Patel, and Jamabhai Patel.
In the bypoll on 13 November, Thakor will face Congress’ Gulabsinh Rajput. A total of 10 candidates, including seven independents, are in the race.
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