"Attempt to match-fix": Congress slams BJP after Mukesh Dalal won Surat Lok Sabha seat uncontested

New Delhi [India], April 22 (ANI): Congress slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after its candidate was declared the winner uncontested from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency and accused it of attempting to "match-fix" a seat "which they (BJP) have won consistently since 1984 Lok Sabha elections".
In a post on X, Congress general secretary-in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that the elections and democracy are under a "generational threat".
"Democracy is under threat. Aap chronology samajhiye: Surat District Election Officer rejects @INCIndia's candidate for Surat Lok Sabha, Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination for "discrepancies in the verification of signatures of three proposers. On similar grounds, officials reject the nomination of Suresh Padsala, the INC's substitute candidate from Surat. Congress Party is left without a candidate," he said.
All other candidates withdraw their nomination except BJP's candidate, Mukesh Dalal, Jairam Ramesh said, adding that the BJP candidate declared "elected unopposed" from Surat Lok Sabha seat on April 22nd, 2024, nearly two weeks before polling on May 7.
"The distress and anger faced by MSME owners and business people in Modi's Anyay Kaal has spooked the BJP so badly that they are attempting to "match-fix" Surat Lok Sabha, which they have won consistently since 1984 Lok Sabha elections!" he added.
The Congress MP further said that the ensuing general elections are the "most important election".
"Our elections, our democracy, Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution - all are under a generational threat. This is the most important election of our lifetime!" he added.
Mukesh Dalal won the election "unopposed" a day after the nomination of the party's Surat Lok Sabha candidate was rejected on Sunday over alleged discrepancies in the signature of the proposers.
BJP's Mukesh Dalal received the Member of Parliament (MP) certificate from Surat District Collector on Monday after all other candidates withdrew from the fray.
The last date to withdraw nominations ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Surat as part of phase 3 on May 7 was April 22, Monday.
Yesterday, the nomination papers of the Congress party's candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected after his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form.
The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated, pushing Gujarat's principal opposition party out of the poll fray in the city.
In his order, Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi said that all other eight candidates in the fray had withdrawn their nominations except Mukesh Dalal.
Congress and AAP are contesting the elections in Gujarat in alliance. Congress has fielded candidates on 24 out of 26 seats, while AAP is contesting Bhavnagar and Bharuch. (ANI)