Assembly Elections: Father vs Son - Gujarat Set For An Interesting Battle On December 1

In the run-up to the Assembly elections in Gujarat, a son has been pitted against his father.

This amusing situation arose after Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) founder Chhotu Vasava filed his nomination as an independent candidate from the Jhagadia Assembly seat in Bharuch. It is the same assembly seat for which his son Mahesh - President of the Bharatiya Tribal Party- is also contesting.

Chhotu Vasava has represented the Scheduled Tribes (ST)-reserved seat in the Assembly for seven consecutive terms.

Father confident of victory

In his claim after filing the nomination, the senior Vasava said that he is confident about coming out victorious in the December 1 election. He told PTI that he had to jump into the battle as nobody else could take on the ruling BJP.

Responding to questions about his son's candidature, the tribal leader said, "Members of a family can contest from four places (seats) ... the BJP is not going to win, neither in the country nor in Gujarat. I am totally hopeful of victory."

'Nobody can snatch the seat from Chhotu Vasava'

Dismissing the conjecture around the senior leader's stand, Chhotu Vasava's personal secretary Abbalal Jadhav has also told the media that the legislator has filed his nomination form.

"Chhotu Vasava has said he will continue to fight for the rights of tribals until his last breath, whether it is through polls or on social media. Nobody can snatch the Jhagadia seat from Chhotu Vasava. His supporters held a meeting at his residence, where it was decided he would contest the election," Jadhav said.

While Jadhav stated such disputes are not unusual, he also said that the tussle is short-lived and that a solution will be found soon.

BCCL/Representational Image

'Everybody has the right to file nomination'

Meanwhile, BTP president Mahesh Vasava confirmed filing his nomination from Jhagadia. In the 2017 elections, he clinched victory in the Dediapada constituency in the Narmada district. The father and the son were the only two winners from the party in 2017.

"I have filed my nomination as the BTP candidate. As the national president of the BTP, I can say we will win many seats. There will be no clear majority in the upcoming election. People are aware. The fight is against unemployment, the COVID-19 pandemic and GST," Mahesh Vasava said.

When asked about the battle with his father, Mahesh said everybody has the right to file nomination forms.

Incidents leading up to the split

In 2017, the BTP had a significant influence in tribal-dominated areas of the state and won two out of three seats it had contested as part of an alliance with opposition Congress.

Senior Vasava won from Jhagadia and his son from Dediapada.

The father-son duo did not vote in the June 2020 Rajya Sabha election and broke the alliance with Congress later.

In May 2022, Chhotu Vasava joined hands with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and held a joint rally in Bharuch with AAP National Convenor and CM Arvind Kejriwal. However, the BTP later pulled out of its alliance with AAP.

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