Paresh Rawal not to contest Lok Sabha elections, says will remain staunch supporter of PM Modi

Paresh Rawal, sitting MP from Ahmedabad east, will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and he has informed the BJP's top leadership about the same. 

"I request media and friends not to speculate about my nomination. I had informed the party months in advance of my decision to not contest LS elections . I, however, remain a loyal member of BJP and a staunch supporter of @narendramodi," tweeted Rawal.

Several BJP leaders have reportedly put forth their candidature for Ahmedabad (East) Lok Sabha seat from where the actor-turned politician had won in 2014 general elections. 

Rawal's name did not find a mention in the BJP's two list of 184 and 36 candidates announced so far. 

According to a report in The Indian Express, a three-member team of BJP observers, comprising Shanker Chaudhary, Jivraj Chauhan and Asmitaben Shiroya, visited party’s Ahmedabad city office in Khanpur area and accepted suggestions and opinions about party’s candidate for the constituency.

The report further said that actor Manoj Joshi, party spokesperson Bharat Pandya, former MLA Bhushan Bhatt, former Ahmedabad mayors Bhavnaben Dave and Asit Vora, former Union minister Harin Pathak, former state minister Nirmala Wadhwani, former MLA Jagrupsinh Rajput, Ahmedabad city BJP chief Jagdish Panchal and party leader Mahesh Kaswala have staked claim for Ahmedabad (East) ticket.

In the 2104 Lok Sabha elections, Rawal had defeated Congress’s Himmatsinh Patel by over 3.26 lakh votes.