Ahead of Gujarat polls, BJP suspends 24 members for anti-party activities

Ahmedabad: Ahead of high-voltage Gujarat Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit has suspended 24 of its members for their involvement in anti-party activities.

The BJP reportedly on Friday suspended former MPs Bhupendrasinh Prabhatsinh Solanki, Kanye Patel and Bimal Shah along with 21 others.

The suspension of the 24 members from the party seemed to be a well-calculated move of the party.

Earlier in the day, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani expressed her confidence in the party's win in the ensuing Gujarat elections, after the BJP's victory in the Uttar Pradesh civic polls.

From Navsari constituency in Gujarat, four party workers -- Dhananjay Bhai, Arjun Bhai, Sushil Kumar, Kanjhibhai Patel --have been suspended.

Others suspended leaders include Ajay Bhai Choudhry (Surat), Khuman Singh Vasia (Bharuch) , Vallabh Bhai Dharvi and Ramesh Bhai Dangar (Jamnagar), Shri Arjan Bhai Kanjaria (Dev Bhumi Dwarka) , Shri Gowardhan Bhai (Morbi), Somnath Shri Tulsi Bhai (Gir), Shri Hameer Bhai (Amreli), Shri Dilawar Singh (Bhavnagar), Shri Nanno Bhai (Palitana), Jaswant Singh (Panchmahal), Bhavesh Bhai and Babu Bhai (Dahod), Juan Singh Vimal Bhai (Khedra), Kama Bhai (Ahmedabad), Shir Rohit Nayani(Gandhi Nagar), Dr Vishnu Daan Jhula (Patan), Shri Hitendra Patel and Bhupender Singh Solanki (Mahisagar).

The election campaign for the polls in the state reached a notch higher after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick started his campaign on November 28.

Gujarat will go to polls in two phases. The first phase is slated on December 9, while the second phase is on December 14.