Both Amit Shah and Ahmed Patel are contesting today's election. Mr Shah is assured of a win for his debut in Parliament, given his party's superior numbers in the Gujarat assembly. Union minister Smiti Irani will get re-elected to the second seat. Each candidate needs to get 45 votes to win. For the third seat, the BJP has fielded Balwantsinh Rajput to take on Ahmed Patel. Mr Rajput is one of the six MLAs who quit the Congress a few days ago. He and two others promptly joined the BJP.