BJP MP and Vadodara LS candidate Ranjan Bhatt pulls out of poll race

The BJP's Lok Sabha member from Vadodara, Ranjan Bhatt, who was renominated by the party from the same seat for the upcoming Parliamentary elections, on Saturday pulled out of the poll race citing personal reasons.

"I, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt, am unwilling to contest the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 due to my personal reasons," she announced on X.

Her move comes days after banners criticising the BJP's decision to renominate her from the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat came up in different parts of the city. Some local BJP leaders had also expressed their displeasure over Bhatt's nomination.

BJP national women's wing vice-president Jyotiben Pandya resigned from the party and all its posts after Bhatt's name was announced as a candidate for the third time from Vadodara.

Bhatt had won the 2014 by-election after Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the seat. She also won the Lok Sabha election in 2019, and was announced as the BJP's candidate for the upcoming poll.