Pandya's father to take on Advani in Gandhinagar

The father of slain Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya would contest as an independent against Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat.

Vithalbhai Pandya told this to a section of the media gathered at his house for the 'bhajan' organised on the first anniversary of Haren Pandya's death.

A known critic of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Vithalbhai had also 'confronted' Advani earlier.

The slain BJP leader's father said he would also 'obstruct' Advani's Bharat Uday Yatra during its Gujarat leg this month. Vithalbhai however, did not specify how he would do this.

Replying to a question on why he did not join the Congress, which had considered his name from Gandhinagar, Vithalbhai said, "It would be against the sentiments of my son."

"I am not averse to taking outside help from Congress," he, however, added.