Congress fears horse-trading, candidates' phones switched off: Siege begins, BJP withdraws nominations to make maximum seats uncontested; 9,819 forms cancelled in the state

Elections to 15 municipal corporations, 34 district panchayats, 84 municipalities and 260 taluka panchayats in Gujarat are heating up. The BJP, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have started campaigning vigorously. As soon as the scrutiny process of nomination papers is over, the game of politics will now be played till April 15. The Congress is worried about horse trading. The phones of most of the Congress candidates have been switched off and now their fencing has begun. On the other hand, the BJP is trying to withdraw its candidature and make the maximum number of seats uncontested. More forms cancelled in Taluka Panchayat On the last day of scrutiny of nomination forms, 9,819 forms were rejected in the state. Of these, 1,934 have been cancelled in municipal corporations, 1,164 in municipalities and 6,721 in district and taluka panchayats. An analysis of the candidature figures reveals that the highest tussle has been seen at the taluka panchayat level. A total of more than 20,000 nomination papers were filed, out of which 6,721 forms were rejected due to documentary or technical errors. The politics of manipulation between the candidates has begun With April 15 as the deadline to withdraw forms in the election battle, the politics of manipulation among the candidates has begun. The policy of equal, price, fine and discrimination is being adopted to seat rival candidates. The Congress has been careful not to repeat the 'Nilesh Kumbhani' incidents of the past, especially in Surat and Rajkot. The party has shifted around 65 of its strong candidates to safe and secret locations under 'Mission Anonymous' to maintain their loyalty. Only after April 15 will it be clear how many candidates will have a real battle in the final field.