“AAP will lose because it is a banner-based party which can only paste banners during the polls while we are a cadre-based party which believes in serving people,” the BJP chief said.
Tag: BJP
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Gujarat polls | Bhupendra Patel is ‘puppet CM’, can’t even change his peon: Kejriwal
By PTI
DEVBHUMI DWARKA: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Bhupendra Patel is a “puppet Chief Minister” of Gujarat who can not even appoint his peon.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Khambhalia in Devbhumi Dwarka district for AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, he also alleged that there is secret collusion between the BJP and Congress.
“There are two faces before the people of Gujarat. One is Isudan Gadhvi and the other is Bhupendra Patel. Who will you vote for, who will you make chief minister?” Kejriwal asked.
Gadhvi is a young, educated man “whose heart beats for the poor” and he is also the son of a farmer, the Delhi chief minister said.
“When he hosted a show on TV, he raised the issues of farmers and did not indulge in ‘tu-tu-main-main’ (noisy debates). He has worked for the farmers and dedicated his life for the farmers and unemployed youth,” Kejriwal said.
“On the other hand, there is Bhupendra Patel. He has no power, he is a ‘kathputli’ (puppet) CM. He cannot even change his peon. He is a good man, he is not bad. I have heard that he is very religious. But nobody listens to him. He is a puppet CM,” the AAP leader said, asking the audience if they wanted a puppet CM or an educated CM.
Kejriwal also claimed that chairs were empty at Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally at Khambhalia on Monday.
“People of Khambhalia did not attend his rally, and today thousands of people have come here….They are here to make their son Isudan the CM of Gujarat,” he said.
Earlier, people had no option even if they wanted to throw out the BJP, and the Congress is in cahoots with the ruling party from the inside, Kejriwal claimed.
He compared the relationship between the BJP and Congress to that between a boy and a girl who meet secretly before marriage.
“When you ask them, they will say there is nothing but friendship between them. Similarly, when you ask them (Congress and BJP), they will say there is nothing but friendship between us. I am telling them that this is enough, they are exposed now, and should get married. Everybody knows that you are a couple, so get married,” he said.
But now there was a “real chance” to choose an alternative in the form of the AAP, Kejriwal added.
There was a wave in favour of his party in Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister claimed.
“I wonder how this happened, and then I close my eyes and bring my hands together and realise that it is being organised by some divine power,” he said, adding that his party has the blessings of “Lord Krishna and Devi.”
“It is written in the Gita that whenever the vessel of sins is full, God sweeps his broom,” he said.
DEVBHUMI DWARKA: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Bhupendra Patel is a “puppet Chief Minister” of Gujarat who can not even appoint his peon.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Khambhalia in Devbhumi Dwarka district for AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, he also alleged that there is secret collusion between the BJP and Congress.
“There are two faces before the people of Gujarat. One is Isudan Gadhvi and the other is Bhupendra Patel. Who will you vote for, who will you make chief minister?” Kejriwal asked.
Gadhvi is a young, educated man “whose heart beats for the poor” and he is also the son of a farmer, the Delhi chief minister said.
“When he hosted a show on TV, he raised the issues of farmers and did not indulge in ‘tu-tu-main-main’ (noisy debates). He has worked for the farmers and dedicated his life for the farmers and unemployed youth,” Kejriwal said.
“On the other hand, there is Bhupendra Patel. He has no power, he is a ‘kathputli’ (puppet) CM. He cannot even change his peon. He is a good man, he is not bad. I have heard that he is very religious. But nobody listens to him. He is a puppet CM,” the AAP leader said, asking the audience if they wanted a puppet CM or an educated CM.
Kejriwal also claimed that chairs were empty at Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally at Khambhalia on Monday.
“People of Khambhalia did not attend his rally, and today thousands of people have come here….They are here to make their son Isudan the CM of Gujarat,” he said.
Earlier, people had no option even if they wanted to throw out the BJP, and the Congress is in cahoots with the ruling party from the inside, Kejriwal claimed.
He compared the relationship between the BJP and Congress to that between a boy and a girl who meet secretly before marriage.
“When you ask them, they will say there is nothing but friendship between them. Similarly, when you ask them (Congress and BJP), they will say there is nothing but friendship between us. I am telling them that this is enough, they are exposed now, and should get married. Everybody knows that you are a couple, so get married,” he said.
But now there was a “real chance” to choose an alternative in the form of the AAP, Kejriwal added.
There was a wave in favour of his party in Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister claimed.
“I wonder how this happened, and then I close my eyes and bring my hands together and realise that it is being organised by some divine power,” he said, adding that his party has the blessings of “Lord Krishna and Devi.”
“It is written in the Gita that whenever the vessel of sins is full, God sweeps his broom,” he said.
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Gujarat polls | Bhupendra is `puppet CM’, can not even change his peon: Kejriwal
By PTI
DEVBHUMI DWARKA: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Bhupendra Patel is a “puppet Chief Minister” of Gujarat who can not even appoint his peon.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Khambhalia in Devbhumi Dwarka district for AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, he also alleged that there is secret collusion between the BJP and Congress.
“There are two faces before the people of Gujarat. One is Isudan Gadhvi and the other is Bhupendra Patel. Who will you vote for, who will you make chief minister?” Kejriwal asked.
Gadhvi is a young, educated man “whose heart beats for the poor” and he is also the son of a farmer, the Delhi chief minister said.
“When he hosted a show on TV, he raised the issues of farmers and did not indulge in ‘tu-tu-main-main’ (noisy debates). He has worked for the farmers and dedicated his life for the farmers and unemployed youth,” Kejriwal said.
“On the other hand, there is Bhupendra Patel. He has no power, he is a ‘kathputli’ (puppet) CM. He cannot even change his peon. He is a good man, he is not bad. I have heard that he is very religious. But nobody listens to him. He is a puppet CM,” the AAP leader said, asking the audience if they wanted a puppet CM or an educated CM.
Kejriwal also claimed that chairs were empty at Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally at Khambhalia on Monday.
“People of Khambhalia did not attend his rally, and today thousands of people have come here….They are here to make their son Isudan the CM of Gujarat,” he said.
Earlier, people had no option even if they wanted to throw out the BJP, and the Congress is in cahoots with the ruling party from the inside, Kejriwal claimed.
He compared the relationship between the BJP and Congress to that between a boy and a girl who meet secretly before marriage.
“When you ask them, they will say there is nothing but friendship between them. Similarly, when you ask them (Congress and BJP), they will say there is nothing but friendship between us. I am telling them that this is enough, they are exposed now, and should get married. Everybody knows that you are a couple, so get married,” he said.
But now there was a “real chance” to choose an alternative in the form of the AAP, Kejriwal added.
There was a wave in favour of his party in Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister claimed.
“I wonder how this happened, and then I close my eyes and bring my hands together and realise that it is being organised by some divine power,” he said, adding that his party has the blessings of “Lord Krishna and Devi.”
“It is written in the Gita that whenever the vessel of sins is full, God sweeps his broom,” he said.
DEVBHUMI DWARKA: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Bhupendra Patel is a “puppet Chief Minister” of Gujarat who can not even appoint his peon.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Khambhalia in Devbhumi Dwarka district for AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, he also alleged that there is secret collusion between the BJP and Congress.
“There are two faces before the people of Gujarat. One is Isudan Gadhvi and the other is Bhupendra Patel. Who will you vote for, who will you make chief minister?” Kejriwal asked.
Gadhvi is a young, educated man “whose heart beats for the poor” and he is also the son of a farmer, the Delhi chief minister said.
“When he hosted a show on TV, he raised the issues of farmers and did not indulge in ‘tu-tu-main-main’ (noisy debates). He has worked for the farmers and dedicated his life for the farmers and unemployed youth,” Kejriwal said.
“On the other hand, there is Bhupendra Patel. He has no power, he is a ‘kathputli’ (puppet) CM. He cannot even change his peon. He is a good man, he is not bad. I have heard that he is very religious. But nobody listens to him. He is a puppet CM,” the AAP leader said, asking the audience if they wanted a puppet CM or an educated CM.
Kejriwal also claimed that chairs were empty at Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally at Khambhalia on Monday.
“People of Khambhalia did not attend his rally, and today thousands of people have come here….They are here to make their son Isudan the CM of Gujarat,” he said.
Earlier, people had no option even if they wanted to throw out the BJP, and the Congress is in cahoots with the ruling party from the inside, Kejriwal claimed.
He compared the relationship between the BJP and Congress to that between a boy and a girl who meet secretly before marriage.
“When you ask them, they will say there is nothing but friendship between them. Similarly, when you ask them (Congress and BJP), they will say there is nothing but friendship between us. I am telling them that this is enough, they are exposed now, and should get married. Everybody knows that you are a couple, so get married,” he said.
But now there was a “real chance” to choose an alternative in the form of the AAP, Kejriwal added.
There was a wave in favour of his party in Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister claimed.
“I wonder how this happened, and then I close my eyes and bring my hands together and realise that it is being organised by some divine power,” he said, adding that his party has the blessings of “Lord Krishna and Devi.”
“It is written in the Gita that whenever the vessel of sins is full, God sweeps his broom,” he said.
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Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat
By PTI
MAHUVA (Gujarat): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls.
Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education.
The Congress MP took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly three-decade stint in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state in the next month’s Assembly polls.
Gandhi said his 3,570-km yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, was for the unity of the country and during the cross-country foot-march he felt the pain of farmers, youth and people from the tribal community after listening to their problems.
Sharing his experience of the yatra so far, the Congress leader said he felt sad while talking to farmers, youth, and tribals.
Farmers shared their experience of not getting proper rate of their produce, crop insurance money or their loans not getting waived, while youth talked about remaining unemployed and failing to realize their dreams.
“They (BJP) call you ‘vanvasi’ (forest dwellers). They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungles. Do you see the difference? It means they do not want you to live in cities, see your children becoming engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English,” he said at the rally at tribal-dominated Mahuva.
ALSO READ | Modi govt weakening laws framed by UPA to empower tribals: Rahul Gandhi
Further attacking the ruling party, the Lok Sabha member from Kerala alleged it wants to keep tribals away from modern health and education facilities.
“They want you to live in the jungles, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking away the jungles from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5 to 10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of 2 to 3 industrialists, and you will have no place to live, get no education, health and job,” Gandhi said.
Recalling a children’s book about a tribal kid that his grandmother, former prime minister Indira Gandhi, gave him when he was a child, the Congress leader said she introduced the book as the one about tribals, the real owners of India.
Gandhi said she told him if you want to understand India, you must understand tribals, their lives, their relations with water, jungle and land (jal, jungle, jameen).
“She used the word, “adivasi,” for tribals, meaning those who have stayed here for the first time. I am telling you that you are the first owners of the country. The country has been taken away from you,” he said.
The word “Adivasi” means the country belongs to tribals and they should get their rights in this country — like employment and health to them and their children, Gandhi said.
“‘Vanvasi,’ on the other hand, means all that belong to you should be given to 2 to 3 industrialists, and you get no education, heath and any other rights,” the former Congress president said.
Further targeting the BJP, he said laws introduced by the Congress when in power in the past at the Centre for the benefit of the tribal community were never implemented in states ruled by the saffron outfit.
In fact, they worked to weaken important legislations like the PESA Act (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, the Land Acquisition Act and Forest Rights Act, among others, he claimed.
“These were revolutionary laws to return water, land and jungle to you. We gave you MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ), jobs, scholarships, rights on land. They (BJP) did not do so. In fact they only took away your land from you,” the Congress MP said.
ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: ‘Son’ rise in 20 seats as BJP, Cong field dynasts
He said at a time when people talk about the environment and big conferences are held where delegates from all over the world meet to discuss green issues, tribals know about the subject more than any of these leaders.
“You can teach them about water, land and jungles, and the work of a leader or a government is to listen to you,” he said, wooing tribals, a key bloc of voters for the opposition party.
Gandhi said lakhs of people, including farmers, unemployed youths, women, tribals, Dalits, backward community members and minorities walked with him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“If someone is left behind, everyone comes forward to help him. It is a yatra of love and everyone is included. Nobody asks what is your caste, religion, which language you speak, your age, whether you are old, young, woman or man — nobody asks these questions,” he said.
READ | Some people are doing foot march to get back to power: PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi
He said the yatra was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in Gujarat.
Gandhi said he felt emotions of happiness as well as sadness during the unity march.
“Sadness is experienced while talking to farmers, youths, tribals. Farmers do not get proper rate (of agri products), insurance money, their loan is not waived. Youths are unemployed, their dream is breaking. Someone wants to become an engineer, his parents spend money on his education, but he is working as a labourer (after getting degree),” he said.
LIVE: Public Meeting | Surat | Gujarat#CongressAaveChe https://t.co/ysE6hyPCq6— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 21, 2022 The Congress MP maintained how a youth named Ram joined the yatra on Sunday evening and hugged him and started crying.
“He said he lost his entire family due to the coronavirus and he was left alone. He said he was unemployed and didn’t see a way out,” Gandhi said.
“He is not alone, there are lakhs of such youths in the country. When you talk to tribals, they say their land is being snatched away. They are being displaced without being told anything and some industrialists are given our land without any compensation,” the Congress leader said.
Voting to elect a new 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases — December 1 and 5 — and ballots will be counted on December 8.
MAHUVA (Gujarat): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls.
Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education.
The Congress MP took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly three-decade stint in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state in the next month’s Assembly polls.
Gandhi said his 3,570-km yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, was for the unity of the country and during the cross-country foot-march he felt the pain of farmers, youth and people from the tribal community after listening to their problems.
Sharing his experience of the yatra so far, the Congress leader said he felt sad while talking to farmers, youth, and tribals.
Farmers shared their experience of not getting proper rate of their produce, crop insurance money or their loans not getting waived, while youth talked about remaining unemployed and failing to realize their dreams.
“They (BJP) call you ‘vanvasi’ (forest dwellers). They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungles. Do you see the difference? It means they do not want you to live in cities, see your children becoming engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English,” he said at the rally at tribal-dominated Mahuva.
ALSO READ | Modi govt weakening laws framed by UPA to empower tribals: Rahul Gandhi
Further attacking the ruling party, the Lok Sabha member from Kerala alleged it wants to keep tribals away from modern health and education facilities.
“They want you to live in the jungles, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking away the jungles from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5 to 10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of 2 to 3 industrialists, and you will have no place to live, get no education, health and job,” Gandhi said.
Recalling a children’s book about a tribal kid that his grandmother, former prime minister Indira Gandhi, gave him when he was a child, the Congress leader said she introduced the book as the one about tribals, the real owners of India.
Gandhi said she told him if you want to understand India, you must understand tribals, their lives, their relations with water, jungle and land (jal, jungle, jameen).
“She used the word, “adivasi,” for tribals, meaning those who have stayed here for the first time. I am telling you that you are the first owners of the country. The country has been taken away from you,” he said.
The word “Adivasi” means the country belongs to tribals and they should get their rights in this country — like employment and health to them and their children, Gandhi said.
“‘Vanvasi,’ on the other hand, means all that belong to you should be given to 2 to 3 industrialists, and you get no education, heath and any other rights,” the former Congress president said.
Further targeting the BJP, he said laws introduced by the Congress when in power in the past at the Centre for the benefit of the tribal community were never implemented in states ruled by the saffron outfit.
In fact, they worked to weaken important legislations like the PESA Act (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, the Land Acquisition Act and Forest Rights Act, among others, he claimed.
“These were revolutionary laws to return water, land and jungle to you. We gave you MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ), jobs, scholarships, rights on land. They (BJP) did not do so. In fact they only took away your land from you,” the Congress MP said.
ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: ‘Son’ rise in 20 seats as BJP, Cong field dynasts
He said at a time when people talk about the environment and big conferences are held where delegates from all over the world meet to discuss green issues, tribals know about the subject more than any of these leaders.
“You can teach them about water, land and jungles, and the work of a leader or a government is to listen to you,” he said, wooing tribals, a key bloc of voters for the opposition party.
Gandhi said lakhs of people, including farmers, unemployed youths, women, tribals, Dalits, backward community members and minorities walked with him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“If someone is left behind, everyone comes forward to help him. It is a yatra of love and everyone is included. Nobody asks what is your caste, religion, which language you speak, your age, whether you are old, young, woman or man — nobody asks these questions,” he said.
READ | Some people are doing foot march to get back to power: PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi
He said the yatra was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in Gujarat.
Gandhi said he felt emotions of happiness as well as sadness during the unity march.
“Sadness is experienced while talking to farmers, youths, tribals. Farmers do not get proper rate (of agri products), insurance money, their loan is not waived. Youths are unemployed, their dream is breaking. Someone wants to become an engineer, his parents spend money on his education, but he is working as a labourer (after getting degree),” he said.
LIVE: Public Meeting | Surat | Gujarat#CongressAaveChe https://t.co/ysE6hyPCq6— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 21, 2022 The Congress MP maintained how a youth named Ram joined the yatra on Sunday evening and hugged him and started crying.
“He said he lost his entire family due to the coronavirus and he was left alone. He said he was unemployed and didn’t see a way out,” Gandhi said.
“He is not alone, there are lakhs of such youths in the country. When you talk to tribals, they say their land is being snatched away. They are being displaced without being told anything and some industrialists are given our land without any compensation,” the Congress leader said.
Voting to elect a new 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases — December 1 and 5 — and ballots will be counted on December 8.
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Rahul calls up Sanjay Raut; Sena MP says such gestures becoming rare in times of political bitterness
By PTI
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said he received a call from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who enquired about his health and claimed such gestures were becoming rare in times of “political bitterness”.
Raut said Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative underway from September 7, is getting a massive response because he is “focussing on love and compassion”.
The Rajya Sabha member’s praise for Gandhi comes at a time when the latter has been facing flak for his remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray last week said his party has immense respect for Savarkar and they do not approve of Gandhi’s remarks about the late Hindutva ideologue.
Gandhi recently called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He had also claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear.
Raut, who was recently granted bail in a money laundering case, in a tweet on Monday said, “In spite of strong differences of opinion on some issues, inquiring on your political colleague is a sign of humanity! During his busy schedule of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhiji called yesterday to inquire abt my health.
‘We were worried for you’ he said (sic). ” I appreciate his empathy of feeling the pain of a political colleague who spent 110 days in jail. In times of political bitterness, such gestures are becoming rare. Rahulji is focusing on love & compassion in his yatra and hence it is getting a massive response,” he added.
Raut was released from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail earlier this month after a court granted him bail in a money laundering case.
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said he received a call from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who enquired about his health and claimed such gestures were becoming rare in times of “political bitterness”.
Raut said Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative underway from September 7, is getting a massive response because he is “focussing on love and compassion”.
The Rajya Sabha member’s praise for Gandhi comes at a time when the latter has been facing flak for his remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray last week said his party has immense respect for Savarkar and they do not approve of Gandhi’s remarks about the late Hindutva ideologue.
Gandhi recently called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He had also claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear.
Raut, who was recently granted bail in a money laundering case, in a tweet on Monday said, “In spite of strong differences of opinion on some issues, inquiring on your political colleague is a sign of humanity! During his busy schedule of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhiji called yesterday to inquire abt my health.
‘We were worried for you’ he said (sic). ” I appreciate his empathy of feeling the pain of a political colleague who spent 110 days in jail. In times of political bitterness, such gestures are becoming rare. Rahulji is focusing on love & compassion in his yatra and hence it is getting a massive response,” he added.
Raut was released from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail earlier this month after a court granted him bail in a money laundering case.
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Gujarat Assembly polls: ‘Son’ rise in 20 seats as BJP, Cong field dynasts
By PTI
AHMEDABAD: Though frowned upon and favoured in equal measures by parties of different hues, dynastic politics is a traditional feature of electoral contests in the country and the next month’s Gujarat Assembly polls are no exception.
The ruling BJP and opposition Congress have together fielded sons of sitting and former MLAs in at least 20 of the total 182 constituencies.
The opposition Congress has fielded 13 such candidates and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to seven.
Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.
According to analysts, political parties are at times compelled to give tickets to dynasts either due to the strong ‘winnability’ factor or in the absence of an alternative in the constituencies where these leaders wield clout.
When tribal leader and ten-time Congress MLA Mohansinh Rathva severed his decades-old ties with the parent party and joined BJP last month, the ruling party rewarded him by fielding his son Rajendrasinh Rathva from Chhota Udepur seat.
The segment reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates will witness a straight contest between Rajendrasinh and Congress’ Sangramsinh Rathwa, the son of former Railways minister Naran Rathwa, both making their poll debut.
Sitting MLA from Sanand seat in Ahmedabad district Kanu Patel is the son of former Congress MLA Karansinh Patel.
The Patel senior joined the BJP in 2017, paving the way or his son to contest from Sanand again. The BJP has repeated Kanu Patel from the same seat.
BJP’s candidate from Thasra, Yogendra Parmar, is the son of two-time MLA Ramsinh Parmar, who had won on a Congress ticket in 2007 and 2012 before quitting the party in 2017 but was defeated by a BJP candidate.
Shailesh Parmar, a two-time MLA of Congress from the Danilimda seat in Ahmedabad, is the son of former MLA Manubhai Parmar. The Congress has once again reposed its faith in Shailesh for the upcoming elections.
Another such contestant is former two-term MLA Mahendrasinh Vaghela, the son of former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela. Mahendrasinh re-joined Congress last month and was fielded by the party from the Bayad seat.
He represented the constituency as a Congress MLA between 2012 and 2017, switched over to BJP in 2019, and returned to his parent party- Congress- last month.
Tushar Chaudhary, the son of former chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary, has been fielded by Congress from Bardoli, a seat reserved for ST candidates.
He served as MP of Mandvi between 2004-09 and of Bardoli from 2009 to 2014. Jayesh Radadiya, the son of former BJP MP from Porbandar seat (late) Vitthal Radadiya, had won the 2009 by-election to the Dhoraji Assembly seat.
He won the 2012 Assembly elections from the Jetpur constituency as a Congress candidate. Jayesh and his father resigned from Congress in 2013. In the 2017 polls, the Radadiya junior won on a BJP ticket from Jetpur. He went on to become a minister in the cabinet headed by Vijay Rupani. The BJP has fielded him from Jetpur for the next month’s elections.
“There are several families in all political parties which consider politics as their legacy. Such families wield huge influence in their respective seats and can sway the electoral outcome,” said political analyst Ravindra Trivedi.
He said parties are unable to find an option for such leaders and therefore they are compelled to give tickets to their close kin.
Trivedi also said in some instances there are ‘dabang’ (strongman) leaders against whom no other leader from their political parties dares to stand.
“They keep winning successive terms and are given tickets because parties fail to find an alternative. Even when they are replaced, it has to be their sons, daughters or wives,” he said.
AHMEDABAD: Though frowned upon and favoured in equal measures by parties of different hues, dynastic politics is a traditional feature of electoral contests in the country and the next month’s Gujarat Assembly polls are no exception.
The ruling BJP and opposition Congress have together fielded sons of sitting and former MLAs in at least 20 of the total 182 constituencies.
The opposition Congress has fielded 13 such candidates and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to seven.
Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.
According to analysts, political parties are at times compelled to give tickets to dynasts either due to the strong ‘winnability’ factor or in the absence of an alternative in the constituencies where these leaders wield clout.
When tribal leader and ten-time Congress MLA Mohansinh Rathva severed his decades-old ties with the parent party and joined BJP last month, the ruling party rewarded him by fielding his son Rajendrasinh Rathva from Chhota Udepur seat.
The segment reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates will witness a straight contest between Rajendrasinh and Congress’ Sangramsinh Rathwa, the son of former Railways minister Naran Rathwa, both making their poll debut.
Sitting MLA from Sanand seat in Ahmedabad district Kanu Patel is the son of former Congress MLA Karansinh Patel.
The Patel senior joined the BJP in 2017, paving the way or his son to contest from Sanand again. The BJP has repeated Kanu Patel from the same seat.
BJP’s candidate from Thasra, Yogendra Parmar, is the son of two-time MLA Ramsinh Parmar, who had won on a Congress ticket in 2007 and 2012 before quitting the party in 2017 but was defeated by a BJP candidate.
Shailesh Parmar, a two-time MLA of Congress from the Danilimda seat in Ahmedabad, is the son of former MLA Manubhai Parmar. The Congress has once again reposed its faith in Shailesh for the upcoming elections.
Another such contestant is former two-term MLA Mahendrasinh Vaghela, the son of former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela. Mahendrasinh re-joined Congress last month and was fielded by the party from the Bayad seat.
He represented the constituency as a Congress MLA between 2012 and 2017, switched over to BJP in 2019, and returned to his parent party- Congress- last month.
Tushar Chaudhary, the son of former chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary, has been fielded by Congress from Bardoli, a seat reserved for ST candidates.
He served as MP of Mandvi between 2004-09 and of Bardoli from 2009 to 2014. Jayesh Radadiya, the son of former BJP MP from Porbandar seat (late) Vitthal Radadiya, had won the 2009 by-election to the Dhoraji Assembly seat.
He won the 2012 Assembly elections from the Jetpur constituency as a Congress candidate. Jayesh and his father resigned from Congress in 2013. In the 2017 polls, the Radadiya junior won on a BJP ticket from Jetpur. He went on to become a minister in the cabinet headed by Vijay Rupani. The BJP has fielded him from Jetpur for the next month’s elections.
“There are several families in all political parties which consider politics as their legacy. Such families wield huge influence in their respective seats and can sway the electoral outcome,” said political analyst Ravindra Trivedi.
He said parties are unable to find an option for such leaders and therefore they are compelled to give tickets to their close kin.
Trivedi also said in some instances there are ‘dabang’ (strongman) leaders against whom no other leader from their political parties dares to stand.
“They keep winning successive terms and are given tickets because parties fail to find an alternative. Even when they are replaced, it has to be their sons, daughters or wives,” he said.
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Gujarat polls: BJP suspends 7 leaders for filing nominations as independents after ticket denial
By PTI
AHMEDABAD: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat on Sunday suspended seven party leaders, including two former MLAs, for filing nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming state Assembly elections after they were denied tickets.
The seven candidates are contesting from the seats that will go to polls in the first phase of the elections scheduled to be held on December 1.
The party suspended former MLAs Arvind Ladani, who had won from Keshod constituency in 2012, and Harshad Vasava from the Scheduled Tribe-reserved seat of Nandod, after they filed their nominations as independents from these seats.
The BJP has fielded Dr Darshana Deshmukh from Nandod and Devabhai Malam from Keshod.
The saffron party also suspended Chhatarsinh Gunjariya, a district panchayat member from Surendranagar, after he filed his nomination as an independent from Dhrangadhra seat.
Other suspended leaders include Ketan Patel, Bharat Chavda, Uday Shah and Karan Baraiya, who have filed their nominations as independents from Pardi, Rajkot, Veraval and Rajula seats respectively.
The BJP, in a release, said, “These leaders have filed their nominations as independent candidates against the candidates declared by the party. They are being suspended on the direction of the state BJP president C R Paatil.”
Paatil had earlier told reporters that it is a norm to suspend leaders who seek to contest as independents against party candidates after they fail to withdraw their nominations on the last day of withdrawal.
Several BJP leaders have come out in the open to express their unhappiness for being denied tickets and have declared to contest as independents.
Six-time MLA Madhu Shrivastav from Vaghodia, who was denied a ticket, has also filed his nominations as an independent.
The BJP has fielded Ashwin Patel from the seat.
Another former BJP MLA Dinesh Patel aka Dinu Mama of Padra seat in Vadodara district has also filed his nominations as an independent.
The BJP has given the ticket to Chaitanyasinh Zala on the seat.
Both Vaghodia and Padra will go to polls in the second phase of elections on December 5.
The BJP has not yet suspended the two former MLAs Shrivastav and Patel.
At least 788 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of the elections to 89 seats, which will be held on December 1.
The second phase of the polls for 93 constituencies will be held on December 5 and the counting of votes for all 182 Assembly seats will take place on December 8.
AHMEDABAD: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat on Sunday suspended seven party leaders, including two former MLAs, for filing nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming state Assembly elections after they were denied tickets.
The seven candidates are contesting from the seats that will go to polls in the first phase of the elections scheduled to be held on December 1.
The party suspended former MLAs Arvind Ladani, who had won from Keshod constituency in 2012, and Harshad Vasava from the Scheduled Tribe-reserved seat of Nandod, after they filed their nominations as independents from these seats.
The BJP has fielded Dr Darshana Deshmukh from Nandod and Devabhai Malam from Keshod.
The saffron party also suspended Chhatarsinh Gunjariya, a district panchayat member from Surendranagar, after he filed his nomination as an independent from Dhrangadhra seat.
Other suspended leaders include Ketan Patel, Bharat Chavda, Uday Shah and Karan Baraiya, who have filed their nominations as independents from Pardi, Rajkot, Veraval and Rajula seats respectively.
The BJP, in a release, said, “These leaders have filed their nominations as independent candidates against the candidates declared by the party. They are being suspended on the direction of the state BJP president C R Paatil.”
Paatil had earlier told reporters that it is a norm to suspend leaders who seek to contest as independents against party candidates after they fail to withdraw their nominations on the last day of withdrawal.
Several BJP leaders have come out in the open to express their unhappiness for being denied tickets and have declared to contest as independents.
Six-time MLA Madhu Shrivastav from Vaghodia, who was denied a ticket, has also filed his nominations as an independent.
The BJP has fielded Ashwin Patel from the seat.
Another former BJP MLA Dinesh Patel aka Dinu Mama of Padra seat in Vadodara district has also filed his nominations as an independent.
The BJP has given the ticket to Chaitanyasinh Zala on the seat.
Both Vaghodia and Padra will go to polls in the second phase of elections on December 5.
The BJP has not yet suspended the two former MLAs Shrivastav and Patel.
At least 788 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of the elections to 89 seats, which will be held on December 1.
The second phase of the polls for 93 constituencies will be held on December 5 and the counting of votes for all 182 Assembly seats will take place on December 8.
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Anti-conversion law: MP govt to move SC against interim relief given to interfaith couples
By PTI
JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh government is going to move the Supreme Court to challenge the high court’s interim order restraining it from prosecuting interfaith couples who enter wedlock without informing the district magistrate.
The high court, in an interim order, directed the state government not to prosecute under section 10 of the MP Freedom of Religion Act (MPFRA) adults who solemnise their marriage on their own volition.
A division bench of Justices Sujoy Paul and PC Gupta on November 14 observed that section 10, which makes it obligatory for a citizen desiring (religious) conversion to give a (prior) declaration in this regard to the district magistrate, is “in our opinion ex facie, unconstitutional in the teeth of aforesaid judgments of this court.”
“The state government is going to move the Supreme Court to challenge the high court’s interim order, which restrains it from prosecuting under section 10 of the MPFRA adults who solemnise their marriage on their own volition,” Advocate General Prashant Singh told PTI on Sunday.
The MPFRA forbids conversions by misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or by any other fraudulent means.
“We are going to file a plea in the honourable Supreme Court shortly,” Singh said.
The high court’s interim direction came on a bunch of seven petitions challenging provisions of the MPFRA, 2021.
The petitioners sought interim relief to restrain the state from prosecuting anyone under the Act.
The court had granted three weeks’ time to the state government to file its para-wise reply to the petitions and said that the petitioners may file a rejoinder within 21 days thereafter.
JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh government is going to move the Supreme Court to challenge the high court’s interim order restraining it from prosecuting interfaith couples who enter wedlock without informing the district magistrate.
The high court, in an interim order, directed the state government not to prosecute under section 10 of the MP Freedom of Religion Act (MPFRA) adults who solemnise their marriage on their own volition.
A division bench of Justices Sujoy Paul and PC Gupta on November 14 observed that section 10, which makes it obligatory for a citizen desiring (religious) conversion to give a (prior) declaration in this regard to the district magistrate, is “in our opinion ex facie, unconstitutional in the teeth of aforesaid judgments of this court.”
“The state government is going to move the Supreme Court to challenge the high court’s interim order, which restrains it from prosecuting under section 10 of the MPFRA adults who solemnise their marriage on their own volition,” Advocate General Prashant Singh told PTI on Sunday.
The MPFRA forbids conversions by misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or by any other fraudulent means.
“We are going to file a plea in the honourable Supreme Court shortly,” Singh said.
The high court’s interim direction came on a bunch of seven petitions challenging provisions of the MPFRA, 2021.
The petitioners sought interim relief to restrain the state from prosecuting anyone under the Act.
The court had granted three weeks’ time to the state government to file its para-wise reply to the petitions and said that the petitioners may file a rejoinder within 21 days thereafter.
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Jailed Delhi minister Satyendar Jain gets full body-massage inside Tihar Jail, CCTV footage goes viral
By ANI
NEW DELHI: A CCTV video of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain getting a full body massage in Tihar Jail has emerged on social media – two days after demands to shift the minister from the prison were raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Jain was arrested on May 30 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on allegations of money laundering.
The purported CCTV footage dated September 13 shows the minister lying on his bed and reading some papers while a man sitting next to him is seen massaging his foot.
In another video, shared by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on his official Twitter handle, a man is seen massaging the Delhi minister’s legs and back before proceeding to give him a full head massage.
“So instead of Sazaa – Satyendar Jain was getting full VVIP Mazaa? Massage inside Tihar Jail? Hawalabaaz who hasn’t got bail for 5 months get a head massage! Violation of rules in a jail run by AAP Govt,” Poonawalla tweeted along with a video.
“This is how official position abused for Vasooli and massage thanks to Kejriwal,” he added.
So instead of Sazaa – Satyendra Jain was getting full VVIP Mazaa ? Massage inside Tihar Jail? Hawalabaaz who hasn’t got bail for 5 months get head massage !Violation of rules in a jail run by AAP GovtThis is how official position abused for Vasooli & massage thanks to Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/4jEuZbxIZZ
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) November 19, 2022
The videos surfaced on social media on Saturday, around 10 days after the ED accused Delhi minister Jain, who was arrested in a money laundering case, of getting special treatment inside the Tihar jail.“Unknown persons were giving massages and foot massages to Mr Jain, even beyond curfew hours. He was given special food,” the ED had said in a court.
Soon after this, the Superintendent of Delhi’s Tihar jail, Ajit Kumar, was also suspended for the alleged VIP treatment of jailed Delhi minister.
ALSO READ: Conman Sukesh dares Kejriwal, minister Satyendar Jain to take polygraph test
The minister, Jain, was arrested and has been in jail since June in connection with a money laundering case, and his bail application was also denied by a Delhi court on Thursday.
Trial court recently ordered ED and minister Satyendar Jain’s legal team not to leak any content of affidavits and video in this regard. Court had also taken the undertaking of both sides. There was however, no restriction/direction were passed for media.
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a detailed report from Delhi Chief Secretary about allegations that jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain is getting “special treatment” inside Tihar jail, sources said.
ALSO READ: BJP minister demands transfer of Satyendar Jain from Delhi jail
The move comes after the ED in an affidavit in October end informed a Special Delhi Court that Satyendar Jain, who is in jail in connection with a money laundering case, was being given “special treatment” inside Tihar Jail.
ED has alleged in its affidavit that Jain’s wife, Poonam Jain, has been given access to his cell and she meets the Delhi Minister beyond the limits permissible.
The agency also submitted CCTV footage of Jain purportedly receiving a body massage from an unidentified person inside his cell. CCTV footage also showed the jail superintendent meeting him regularly.
During its arguments earlier in court the ED had submitted that there are witnesses and materials sufficient to make out a case of money laundering against the Delhi minister.
Additional Solicitor General appearing for the ED submitted that the accused was involved in money laundering with other accused. He sent money to Kolkata-based companies and that money belonged to Jain. He is the conspirator and kingpin.
The Rouse Avenue Court on November 17 dismissed the bail petition of Jain in the ED case and said the accused Satyender Jain had knowingly done such activities to obliterate the tracing of the source of ill-gotten money and accordingly, the proceeds of crime were layered through Kolkata-based entry operators in a way that its source was difficult to decipher.
NEW DELHI: A CCTV video of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain getting a full body massage in Tihar Jail has emerged on social media – two days after demands to shift the minister from the prison were raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Jain was arrested on May 30 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on allegations of money laundering.
The purported CCTV footage dated September 13 shows the minister lying on his bed and reading some papers while a man sitting next to him is seen massaging his foot.
In another video, shared by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on his official Twitter handle, a man is seen massaging the Delhi minister’s legs and back before proceeding to give him a full head massage.
“So instead of Sazaa – Satyendar Jain was getting full VVIP Mazaa? Massage inside Tihar Jail? Hawalabaaz who hasn’t got bail for 5 months get a head massage! Violation of rules in a jail run by AAP Govt,” Poonawalla tweeted along with a video.
“This is how official position abused for Vasooli and massage thanks to Kejriwal,” he added.
So instead of Sazaa – Satyendra Jain was getting full VVIP Mazaa ? Massage inside Tihar Jail? Hawalabaaz who hasn’t got bail for 5 months get head massage !Violation of rules in a jail run by AAP Govt
This is how official position abused for Vasooli & massage thanks to Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/4jEuZbxIZZ
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) November 19, 2022
The videos surfaced on social media on Saturday, around 10 days after the ED accused Delhi minister Jain, who was arrested in a money laundering case, of getting special treatment inside the Tihar jail.“Unknown persons were giving massages and foot massages to Mr Jain, even beyond curfew hours. He was given special food,” the ED had said in a court.
Soon after this, the Superintendent of Delhi’s Tihar jail, Ajit Kumar, was also suspended for the alleged VIP treatment of jailed Delhi minister.
ALSO READ: Conman Sukesh dares Kejriwal, minister Satyendar Jain to take polygraph test
The minister, Jain, was arrested and has been in jail since June in connection with a money laundering case, and his bail application was also denied by a Delhi court on Thursday.
Trial court recently ordered ED and minister Satyendar Jain’s legal team not to leak any content of affidavits and video in this regard. Court had also taken the undertaking of both sides. There was however, no restriction/direction were passed for media.
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a detailed report from Delhi Chief Secretary about allegations that jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain is getting “special treatment” inside Tihar jail, sources said.
ALSO READ: BJP minister demands transfer of Satyendar Jain from Delhi jail
The move comes after the ED in an affidavit in October end informed a Special Delhi Court that Satyendar Jain, who is in jail in connection with a money laundering case, was being given “special treatment” inside Tihar Jail.
ED has alleged in its affidavit that Jain’s wife, Poonam Jain, has been given access to his cell and she meets the Delhi Minister beyond the limits permissible.
The agency also submitted CCTV footage of Jain purportedly receiving a body massage from an unidentified person inside his cell. CCTV footage also showed the jail superintendent meeting him regularly.
During its arguments earlier in court the ED had submitted that there are witnesses and materials sufficient to make out a case of money laundering against the Delhi minister.
Additional Solicitor General appearing for the ED submitted that the accused was involved in money laundering with other accused. He sent money to Kolkata-based companies and that money belonged to Jain. He is the conspirator and kingpin.
The Rouse Avenue Court on November 17 dismissed the bail petition of Jain in the ED case and said the accused Satyender Jain had knowingly done such activities to obliterate the tracing of the source of ill-gotten money and accordingly, the proceeds of crime were layered through Kolkata-based entry operators in a way that its source was difficult to decipher.
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UP BJP leaders to mend 64 seats with chunks of eastern UP voters in Gujarat
Express News Service
LUCKNOW: “Gujarat mein Modi chhe…..”, the Gujarati- Bhojpuri mix rap released by Gorakhpur MP and popular Bhojpuri actor in his own voice has been doing rounds on social media platforms setting the tone for a robust campaign by UP BJP leaders in the poll bound state in the days to come.
Leading from the front, UP CM Yogi Adityanath commence his series of poll rallies by addressing three in Morbi, Bharuch and Surat on Friday. In fact, the party’s central leadership has entrusted around 64 assembly segments across 16 districts to the UP unit to firm up support in the upcoming assembly elections as those seats have a respectable chunk of voters who hail from eastern UP.
As a result, the saffron brigade has roped in Bhojpuri film stars-turned-politicians like North East Delhi MP Manoj Tewari and Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan to campaign in districts like Ahmedabad and Surat. “Their presence will resonate well with the settlers from Purvanchal,” said a senior BJP leader campaigning in Gujarat. He said a good number of people from the belt between Jaunpur to Mirzapur stay in Gujarat.
Even CM Yogi, an MLA from Gorakhpur, is expected to address over a dozen rallies. Sources said that already a host of east UP MPs like Mahendra Nath Pandey (Chandauli), deputy CM Keshav Maurya (Kaushambi) and Deoria MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi have been entrusted with the task of conducting a ground-level campaign in Gujarat.
ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP to conduct ‘carpet bombing’ campaign across 89 constituencies
Meanwhile, a group of senior party leaders including RS MP Laxmikant Bajpai, former UP minister Suresh Rana and cabinet minister Swatantra Dev Singh have been camping in the poll-bound state to help the local leaders doing the groundwork.
Moreover, the party leaders from other states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are also being deployed in Gujarat. BJP sources said that the UP unit is scheduled to send a team of 26 women leaders to Gujarat soon to drum up support for the party in the upcoming elections.
LUCKNOW: “Gujarat mein Modi chhe…..”, the Gujarati- Bhojpuri mix rap released by Gorakhpur MP and popular Bhojpuri actor in his own voice has been doing rounds on social media platforms setting the tone for a robust campaign by UP BJP leaders in the poll bound state in the days to come.
Leading from the front, UP CM Yogi Adityanath commence his series of poll rallies by addressing three in Morbi, Bharuch and Surat on Friday. In fact, the party’s central leadership has entrusted around 64 assembly segments across 16 districts to the UP unit to firm up support in the upcoming assembly elections as those seats have a respectable chunk of voters who hail from eastern UP.
As a result, the saffron brigade has roped in Bhojpuri film stars-turned-politicians like North East Delhi MP Manoj Tewari and Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan to campaign in districts like Ahmedabad and Surat.
“Their presence will resonate well with the settlers from Purvanchal,” said a senior BJP leader campaigning in Gujarat. He said a good number of people from the belt between Jaunpur to Mirzapur stay in Gujarat.Even CM Yogi, an MLA from Gorakhpur, is expected to address over a dozen rallies. Sources said that already a host of east UP MPs like Mahendra Nath Pandey (Chandauli), deputy CM Keshav Maurya (Kaushambi) and Deoria MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi have been entrusted with the task of conducting a ground-level campaign in Gujarat.
ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP to conduct ‘carpet bombing’ campaign across 89 constituencies
Meanwhile, a group of senior party leaders including RS MP Laxmikant Bajpai, former UP minister Suresh Rana and cabinet minister Swatantra Dev Singh have been camping in the poll-bound state to help the local leaders doing the groundwork.
Moreover, the party leaders from other states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are also being deployed in Gujarat. BJP sources said that the UP unit is scheduled to send a team of 26 women leaders to Gujarat soon to drum up support for the party in the upcoming elections.