NEWS
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CAMPAIGN TRAIL
ISSUES '98
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State:	Gujarat
Constituency:	Surendra Nagar
Total Votes Polled:	363520
Winner: INC	Sanata Mehta	199593
Runner Up: BJP	Koli Patel Somabhai Gandabhai	134741
Margin: 64852 (18.27%)

It was reality time for the BJP in 1996, with K P S Gandabhai, who had won the last two elections on its ticket, being routed by Sanat Mehta of the Congress who in the process avenged his defeat by Gandabhai in 1991. What made matters worse for Gandabhai was that in 1989, he had cornered 62.5 % of the votes, the highest ever for this constituency.