Former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan will file papers as a Congress candidate against Union Home Minister L K Advani from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency today.

The best party, the best constituency and the best candidate: that is how the irrepressible Thirunellai Narayana Seshan Described the Congress, Gandhinagar, and himself, while addressing a crowded Press Conference here on Tuesday.

Seshan has undergone a transformation after switching over to the other side of the table - from bureaucrat to politician.

The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President, C D Patel, said Mr Seshan had been chosen as the party candidate to contest against BJP leader Mr Advani, who is seeking re-election from Gandhinagar.

The last date for filing of nominations for the September 5 Lok Sabha elections from the state is August 18.

Meanwhile, the BJP state unit spokesman, Bharat Pandya, reacting to reports yesterday that Mr Seshan was to contest from Gandhinagar, said even if Congress fields four Seshans against Advani, the result will be one-sided".

However, the fielding of Mr Seshan has come as a bolt from the blue for BJP, which was expecting another "sacrificial" candidate from Congress. This was evident from the fact that state Home Minister Haren Pandya made frantic calls to confirm whether it was Mr Seshan who was actually going to be pitted against Mr Advani, when he was informed by some media persons about Congress intention.

Though not many give a chance to Mr Seshan, the Congress workers seem really to have come alive and hope to give Mr Advani run for his money. "Now at least Advani will be forced to campaign hard and you would see Mr Advani more in Gandhinagar than he has been here during his last tenure," quipped a Congress worker.

Meanwhile, a PTI report says Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will address three public meetings in Gujarat on August 23 in support of BJP candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Vajpayee is to tour the state on August 23 and 27 for electioneering.

As per the programme finalised for August 23, the Prime Minister will address at 1200 hours a meeting at Bardoli in Surat district, at 1500 hours a meeting in Surendranagar district and another meeting at Khedbrahma at 1700 hrs, according to Gujarat unit BJP general secretary, Gordhan Zadhapia.

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