Ravindra Jadeja Says Wife, Candidate In Gujarat Polls, Wants To Follow PM Modi's Path

Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja today said that his wife Rivaba Jadeja who has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Jamnagar (North) seat in the state assembly elections wanted to follow the path of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work for the people.

Ravindra Jadeja attended an event on Monday where he said that Rivaba would learn a lot from her first-time candidature in the assembly elections.

"It is her (Rivaba Jadeja) first time as an MLA candidate and she will learn a lot. I hope she will progress in this. She is of helping nature and has always wanted to help people and hence joined politics. She wants to follow the path of PM Modi to work for the people," the cricketer said.

Earlier on Sunday, Jadeja urged the people of Jamnagar to vote for his wife Rivaba Jadeja.

Jadeja tweeted a video urging the people of Jamnagar and cricket fans to vote for his wife.

"The Gujarat election is here and it's like a T20 match. My wife is making her grand debut in politics on a BJP ticket! Tomorrow she will file her nomination. I appeal to the people of Jamnagar and all the cricket lovers to come in large numbers to support her," Jadeja said in the video in which he was speaking in Gujarati.

Rivaba replaces sitting MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja as the BJP face for the Jamnagar (North) seat, who was denied a party ticket in this election, according to sources.

Earlier on Sunday, the BJP announced one more candidate for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election. So far the party has released the names of 167 candidates for the Gujarat polls.

The party fielded Jagdishbhai Makwana from the Wadhwan Assembly constituency.

Earlier on Saturday, BJP released the second list of six candidates. In the second list of six candidates, BJP has given tickets to two women.

It has fielded Mahendrabhai Padaliya from Dhoraji, Mulubhai Bera from Khambhalia, Dheliben Maldebhai Odedara from Kutiyana, Sejal Rajiv Kumar Pandya from Bhavnagar East, Hitesh Devji Vasava from Dediapada (ST) and Sandeep Desai from Choryasi.

On Thursday, the BJP announced the first list of candidates for 160 candidates out of the 182 constituencies for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections.

The first list of 160 candidates includes 14 females, 13 from scheduled caste, 24 from the scheduled tribe and there are 69 candidates who have been repeated.

The Assembly elections in Gujarat are scheduled for two phases on December 1 and December 5. In the first round, 89 of the total 182 Assembly seats will go to polls and prominent political parties have declared their candidates for almost all these constituencies.

The BJP has drawn up a list of star campaigners for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. Topping the list is Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The other prominent names on the list include BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and fellow Cabinet colleagues Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mansukh Mandaviya and Purushottam Rupala.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who is seeking a fresh mandate from the Ghatlodia Assembly segment, also features in the star campaigners list along with BJP state president CR Patil and state Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi.

The ruling party seeks its seventh straight term in power in the ensuing state polls. The state has been a BJP stronghold for a long and the party has set its sights on returning to power with a handsome majority this time as well.

However, it faces a stiff electoral challenge from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has named Isudan Gadhvi as its chief ministerial candidate.

The Congress is also hoping to put its best electoral foot forward to unseat the BJP government.

The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 27 years and it is considered a BJP bastion.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)