Gujarat Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress' Surat candidate Nilesh Kumbhani goes missing, likely to join BJP, say sources

In a dramatic turn of events following the Bharatiya Janata Party's uncontested victory in the Surat Lok Sabha seat, sources have indicated that Congress leader Nilesh Kumbhani, whose candidacy was rejected due to alleged discrepancies, is poised to switch sides and join the BJP, as reported by India Today.

According to the reports, Kumbhani has been missing and is unreachable by phone.

Now, as speculations go around Kumbhani's potential change to the BJP, tensions escalated outside his residence, where Congress supporters staged a protest displaying posters that labelled him as "janata ka gaddar" (people's traitor).

The unfolding drama comes from the BJP's unopposed victory in Surat, marking their first Lok Sabha win in the region without facing any opposition. Mukesh Dalal, BJP's Surat candidate, was declared the unopposed winner.

Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil hailed this victory as he declared that Surat has symbolically presented "the first lotus" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We dedicate this victory of Surat to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi sir !! We also give confidence that after winning another 25 seats, we will present 26 and 26 lotuses of Gujarat to Modi ji," Paatil said in a post on X.