GJ-POLL-MEETINGS

Guj: BJP, Cong hold meetings for Lok Sabha poll candidates
    Ahmedabad, Mar 17 (PTI) The Gujarat BJP Sunday held a
meeting to discuss names of candidates for the state's 26 Lok
Sabha seats.
    All 26 seats, currently held by the BJP, will go to
polls in a single phase on April 23.
    The meeting, which took place in Gandhinagar, was
attended by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, state Lok
Sabha poll in charge Om Mathur and state unit chief Jitu
Vaghani among others.
    Names of probable candidates will be discussed for
three days after which a final report will be sent to the
party high command in Delhi, a leader said on condition of
anonymity.
    Senior BJP leaders met Sunday to discuss names of
probable candidates for Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota
Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari, Vardoli, Surat, Anand and
Kheda Lok Sabha constituencies, Rupani said in a Facebook
post.
    "The Lok Sabha election committee met in Gandhinagar.
Discussions were held on candidates for the Lok Sabha seats
based on input received by party's poll observers," Rupani
said.
    Rupani said names of probable candidates for Vadodara,
Bharuch, Panchmahals, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Valsad, Navsari,
Vardoli, Surat, Anand and Kheda Lok Sabha seats were
discussed.
    Sources said sitting MPs from the 26 seats were
discussed Sunday.
    Discussions on rest of the seats will be held tomorrow
and day after tomorrow, a party source said.
    The opposition Congress also held a meeting Sunday
under the leadership of state unit president Amit Chavda.
    Party sources said Congress leaders from Kheda, Kutch
and Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituencies were among those
who met Chavda.
    Discussions were also held on the party's preparations
for bypolls in five Assembly constituencies, Congress sources
said. PTI KA PD
BNM BNM