While Surat unit of the Congress on Saturday claimed that the party will win five of the 12 Assembly seats in Surat city, the BJP claimed that it will win all the 12 seats. “This time, the fight was tough. We will win on five seats — Surat North, Limbayat, Varachha, Kamrej and Surat East — and there will be close results in three seats — Katargam, Karanj, and Olpad,” said Hasmukh Desai after holding a meeting of local Congress leaders and state leaders here.
Surat city BJP president Nitin Bhajiyawala, however, dismissed the Congress’s claim, saying that they will win all the 12 urban seats. “Congress was not in the picture. They contested on three horses — Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor, and Jignesh Mevani. The Patidars are part of the BJP organization and they definitely did not vote for the Congress,” Bhajiyawala said.
Surat city had voted in the first phase of election on December 9. The turnout in the city was recorded at 66.39 percent, three percent less than 2012 Assembly polls.
