Congress' Paresh Dhanani retains Amreli

Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Congress' Paresh Dhanani on Monday won from the Amreli constituency for third time defeating BJP's Bavkubhai Undhad by 12,029 votes.

While the Congress candidate bagged 87032 votes, his nearest rival Undhad siphoned 75003 votes in the Patidar dominated region.

The constituency became significant due to the Congress' heavyweight Patel leader and sitting MLA Dhanani contested from here to save the seat. Paresh had won from Amreli in 2002 defeating the then agriculture minister Parshottam Rupala but lost to BJP's Dileep Sanghani in 2007. He took the seat back in 2012 defeating Sanghani, then MoS for agriculture.

This time BJP had brought the sitting MLA from Lathi constituency, Bavakubhai Undhad here in order to target the Patidars who dominate the population in the region. Amreli is one of the constituencies where the Patidar Amanat Andolan Samiti led by Hardik Patel has influenced a large number of people in the community.

There are total 268018 registered voters. This assembly seat represents Amreli Taluka and Vadia Taluka - entire taluka except village - Deva.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had fielded Madhad Ravjibhai Danabhai, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Lalbhai Bodar.