Patan, Gujarat Lok Sabha Election 2024: Voting for the 3rd Phase of LS Polls

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Gujarat

Polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Patan, Gujarat, which began at 7 AM today, has seen a 46.69% voter turnout till 5PM. In 2019, it was 62.33%.The BJP has nominated sitting Member of Parliament Bharatsinhji Shankarji, while the Congress has put forward Chandanji Thakor as their candidate for this constituency.

The prominent parties contesting in this phase include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), among others, with BJP having maintained its stronghold in this constituency in recent years.

The BJP has nominated sitting Member of Parliament Bharatsinhji Shankarji, while the Congress has put forward Chandanji Thakor as their candidate for this constituency.

Shankarji is a seasoned politician with a strong grassroot connect. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he secured victory in Patan with a vote share of 56.24%, amounting to 633,368 votes.

The Congress candidate Jagdish Thakor, a prominent leader in the region and former Member of Legislative Assembly, represented the Congress party and showcased its endeavour to regain political influence in Gujarat, presenting a credible challenge to the ruling BJP.

Also read: Maharashtra 2024 Lok Sabha elections phase 3: Key candidates and constituencies.

He secured the runner-up position with a vote share of 39.02%. The overall voter turnout stood at 62.45%.

This year, addressing issues such as agricultural modernization, water conservation, and rural development are expected to be the focal points for the elected Member of Parliament, reflecting the aspirations and concerns of the constituents in Patan.

The Patan seat was initially dominated by the Congress and later challenged by other parties like the Swatantra Party and Lok Dal.

A pivotal moment came in 1989 when the seat was reserved for the Scheduled Caste category, leading to a win for the Janata Dal. This marked a shift in the nature of political representation in Patan. The BJP won the seat in 1991 with Mahesh Kanodia setting the stage for ongoing contests between the BJP and Congress.