Lok Sabha elections 2019: Valsad likely to see tough contest between BJP and Congress

constituency-watch

Updated: Apr 16, 2019 11:10 IST

Valsad Lok Sabha seat of Gujarat goes to the polls on April 23 along with 25 other parliamentary constituencies in the state. Valsad Lok Sabha seat was carved out in 2008 following delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies.

Reserved for the members from the Scheduled Tribe community, Valsad is the parliamentary constituency number 26 in Gujarat and has swung from one camp to the other in the two Lok Sabha elections held after delimitation. In 2009, Congress candidate Kishanbhai Vestabhai Patel defeated KC Patel of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Five years later, KC Patel trounced Kishan Patel in the Lok Sabha elections 2014 when the BJP won all 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat.

In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, KC Patel seeks re-election for the third time in a row while the Congress has fielded Jitubhai Harjibhai Chaudhari from Valsad parliamentary seat. Kishorbhai Ramanbhai Patel of the Bahujan Samaj Party is in the fray to make it a triangular contest at Valsad.

Valsad is an industrial town of Gujarat. But more than the industries, Valsad is famous for its Alphonso Mangoes, which has been the bedrock of the thriving economy of this city.

The Lok Sabha seat of Valsad comprises of seven Gujarat assembly constituencies. These are Valsad, Dangs, Vansda, Dharampur, Pardi, Kaprada and Umbergaon. Of these five are reserved for the candidates from the Scheduled Tribe community.

Key facts about Valsad Lok Sabha seat

State: Gujarat

Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Valsad

Date of poll: April 23

2019 candidates: KC Patel (BJP), Jitubhai Harjibhai Chaudhari (Congress), Kishorbhai Ramanbhai Patel (BSP)

Sitting MP, Party: KC Patel, BJP

Winning margin in 2014: 2,08,004

Runner up name, party: Kishanbhai Patel, Congress

Number of voters in 2014: 11,23,182

Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 74.22%

Number of polling booths in 2014: 1,875

Number of women voters: 5,39,892