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Tag: Gujarat BJP

  • First phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats tomorrow: All you need to know

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Voting will be held on Thursday for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats spread across 19 districts in Saurashtra-Kutch and southern parts of the state where 788 candidates are in the fray. Campaigning for the first phase of the elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state ended at 5 pm on Tuesday.

    Voting will be held between 8 am and 5 pm on Thursday across 14,382 polling stations, the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a release.

    Out of the total 4,91,35,400 registered voters in Gujarat, 2,39,76,670 are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of the elections.

    These include 5.74 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 years, and 4,945 above the age of 99 years, the office of the state CEO said.

    Out of the 89 seats going to polls in the first phase, the BJP won 48 in the 2017 election, the Congress had won 40, while one seat was bagged by an independent candidate.

    Who are contesting?

    Apart from the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 36 other political outfits, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) have also fielded candidates in various seats which will go to polls in the first phase.

    The BJP and Congress are contesting in all the 89 seats.
    The new poll entrant AAP is contesting 88 seats. Its candidate from Surat East constituency had withdrawn his candidature, leaving the party with one less seat to contest in the first phase
    The BSP has fielded 57 candidates, BTP 14 and CPI-M four candidates.
    As many as 339 independents are also in the fray in the first phase of polls.
    Out of the total 788 candidates, 70 are women including nine fielded by the BJP, six by the Congress and five by the AAP.

    ALSO READ | How scrapped project can hurt BJP in Gujarat tribal seats

    Who are some of the prominent candidates?

    AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi is contesting from Khambhalia seat in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Saurashtra region that goes to polls on Thursday.

    AAP state unit president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam in Surat.

    Among other prominent candidates in the first phase are Rivaba Jadeja, the wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who is contesting from Jamnagar (North), and BJP MLAs Harsh Sanghavi and Purnesh Modi from different seats in Surat and five-time MLA Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar (Rural).

    Sitting Congress MLAs like Lalit Kagathara, Lalit Vasoya, Rutvik Makwana and Mohammad Javed Pirzada are among the candidates in fray in the first phase from seats in Saurashtra region.

    Seven-time MLA and veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava is contesting from Jhagadia in Bharuch.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat elections 2022: Morbi, Porbandar, Anand… here are 25 seats to watch out for

    Which are the key regions to look out for?

    With 54 seats, the Saurashtra-Kutch region will be crucial for the Congress as it seeks to better its performance.

    In the region, the Congress won 30 seats in 2017 compared to 16 in the 2012 election. The BJP, on the other hand, was reduced to 23 seats in 2017 as against 35 won by it in the previous election.

    In south Gujarat, the Congress in 2017 bettered its tally to 10 compared to six in the previous polls, while the BJPs tally dropped to 25 in the last election from 28 earlier.

    South Gujarat also comprises Surat city with 12 seats which have remained the BJP’s bastion since a long time.

    The BJP has this time found a challenger in the AAP which has fielded some of its senior state leaders from Surat and hopes to win seven-eight seats in the city, as declared by its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Gujarat AAP’s state president Gopal Italia is the candidate from Katargam, general secretary Manoj Sorathiya from Karanj and Patidar community leader Alpesh Kathiriya from Varachha Road in Surat.

    ALSO READ | Trust in the KHAP: How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections  

    Who were the campaigners?

    The BJP, Congress and AAP leaders held roadshows and addressed public rallies as part of their high-pitched campaign in the run-up to the elections.

    The ruling party’s campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and a number of Union ministers and state leaders.

    For the AAP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejiwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were the most frequent campaigners.

    Apart from them, Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sosidoa and AAP’s Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh also campaigned in Gujarat.

    The Congress banked on its local leaders for campaigning apart from Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who held some rallies in the last few days before the first phase of elections.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held two rallies in the state this month by taking out time from his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    How will the polling process be carried out?

    Voting will be held across 14,382 polling stations, of which 3,311 are in the urban and 11,071 in rural areas, the poll body said in a release.

    The election body has set up 89 ‘model polling stations’, as many stations run by differently-abled people, 89 eco-friendly polling stations and 611 run by women.

    There are also 18 polling stations run by the youth, it said.

    A total 34,324 ballot units, an equal number of control units, and 38,749 Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used for the election in the first phase, the release said.

    A total of 2,20,288 trained officers and employees will be on duty for the smooth conduct of the election process, it said.

    In the first phase, 27,978 presiding officers and 78,985 polling officers will be on duty, it said.

    ALSO READ | Battleground Gujarat: All eyes on AAP in three-way poll contest in bipolar state politics

    AHMEDABAD: Voting will be held on Thursday for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats spread across 19 districts in Saurashtra-Kutch and southern parts of the state where 788 candidates are in the fray. Campaigning for the first phase of the elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state ended at 5 pm on Tuesday.

    Voting will be held between 8 am and 5 pm on Thursday across 14,382 polling stations, the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a release.

    Out of the total 4,91,35,400 registered voters in Gujarat, 2,39,76,670 are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of the elections.

    These include 5.74 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 years, and 4,945 above the age of 99 years, the office of the state CEO said.

    Out of the 89 seats going to polls in the first phase, the BJP won 48 in the 2017 election, the Congress had won 40, while one seat was bagged by an independent candidate.

    Who are contesting?

    Apart from the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 36 other political outfits, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) have also fielded candidates in various seats which will go to polls in the first phase.

    The BJP and Congress are contesting in all the 89 seats.
    The new poll entrant AAP is contesting 88 seats. Its candidate from Surat East constituency had withdrawn his candidature, leaving the party with one less seat to contest in the first phase
    The BSP has fielded 57 candidates, BTP 14 and CPI-M four candidates.
    As many as 339 independents are also in the fray in the first phase of polls.
    Out of the total 788 candidates, 70 are women including nine fielded by the BJP, six by the Congress and five by the AAP.

    ALSO READ | How scrapped project can hurt BJP in Gujarat tribal seats

    Who are some of the prominent candidates?

    AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi is contesting from Khambhalia seat in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Saurashtra region that goes to polls on Thursday.

    AAP state unit president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam in Surat.

    Among other prominent candidates in the first phase are Rivaba Jadeja, the wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who is contesting from Jamnagar (North), and BJP MLAs Harsh Sanghavi and Purnesh Modi from different seats in Surat and five-time MLA Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar (Rural).

    Sitting Congress MLAs like Lalit Kagathara, Lalit Vasoya, Rutvik Makwana and Mohammad Javed Pirzada are among the candidates in fray in the first phase from seats in Saurashtra region.

    Seven-time MLA and veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava is contesting from Jhagadia in Bharuch.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat elections 2022: Morbi, Porbandar, Anand… here are 25 seats to watch out for

    Which are the key regions to look out for?

    With 54 seats, the Saurashtra-Kutch region will be crucial for the Congress as it seeks to better its performance.

    In the region, the Congress won 30 seats in 2017 compared to 16 in the 2012 election. The BJP, on the other hand, was reduced to 23 seats in 2017 as against 35 won by it in the previous election.

    In south Gujarat, the Congress in 2017 bettered its tally to 10 compared to six in the previous polls, while the BJPs tally dropped to 25 in the last election from 28 earlier.

    South Gujarat also comprises Surat city with 12 seats which have remained the BJP’s bastion since a long time.

    The BJP has this time found a challenger in the AAP which has fielded some of its senior state leaders from Surat and hopes to win seven-eight seats in the city, as declared by its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Gujarat AAP’s state president Gopal Italia is the candidate from Katargam, general secretary Manoj Sorathiya from Karanj and Patidar community leader Alpesh Kathiriya from Varachha Road in Surat.

    ALSO READ | Trust in the KHAP: How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections  

    Who were the campaigners?

    The BJP, Congress and AAP leaders held roadshows and addressed public rallies as part of their high-pitched campaign in the run-up to the elections.

    The ruling party’s campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and a number of Union ministers and state leaders.

    For the AAP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejiwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were the most frequent campaigners.

    Apart from them, Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sosidoa and AAP’s Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh also campaigned in Gujarat.

    The Congress banked on its local leaders for campaigning apart from Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who held some rallies in the last few days before the first phase of elections.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held two rallies in the state this month by taking out time from his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    How will the polling process be carried out?

    Voting will be held across 14,382 polling stations, of which 3,311 are in the urban and 11,071 in rural areas, the poll body said in a release.

    The election body has set up 89 ‘model polling stations’, as many stations run by differently-abled people, 89 eco-friendly polling stations and 611 run by women.

    There are also 18 polling stations run by the youth, it said.

    A total 34,324 ballot units, an equal number of control units, and 38,749 Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used for the election in the first phase, the release said.

    A total of 2,20,288 trained officers and employees will be on duty for the smooth conduct of the election process, it said.

    In the first phase, 27,978 presiding officers and 78,985 polling officers will be on duty, it said.

    ALSO READ | Battleground Gujarat: All eyes on AAP in three-way poll contest in bipolar state politics

  • 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.

  • Congress calls Morbi bridge tragedy an example of ‘BJP-created disaster’

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: Releasing a 22-point charge sheet against the ruling BJP in Gujarat, Opposition Congress on Sunday alleged that the recent Morbi Bridge tragedy is an example of a “BJP-created disaster”.

    The charge sheet made several allegations against the Gujarat government about the Morbi tragedy.

    “It is amply clear only BJP and its cronies are directly responsible for 136 lives lost in that unfortunate incident, it is amply clear that only BJP and its cronies are directly responsible for 136 lives lost in that unfortunate incident,” stated the charge sheet.

    “The BJP government, adept at shielding the culprits in many such horrible tragedies, is at it again in the Morbi tragedy”, it added.

    According to the charge sheet, “Gujarat was one of the brightest stars of India’s growth story when Congress left office. The state has lost its growth momentum under the successive BJP governments.”

    Reading out the charge sheet allegation, Gujarat Congress former president Arjun Modhvadiya said, “In 2020-21, Gujarat recorded a negative growth rate of 1.35%”. He added that the economic mismanagement by the BJP has led to a loss of confidence amongst investors in the state.

    “In 2016-17, Gujarat accounted for nearly one-fourth of the cost of the projects sanctioned by the banks. In 2021-22, its share had halved, falling to 11.9%,” he said.

    Gujarat’s Economic condition

    The document also underlined the economic stress of households and noted, “Gujarat had the highest food inflation among all states in the month of August 2022”.

    The charge sheet further alleged that “the meagre growth that the BJP government achieved has been fuelled by debt. The government is showcasing growth by mortgaging the state’s future. The state’s total outstanding liabilities have crossed Rs. 4,00,000 crores by the end of March 2022. The outstanding liabilities have increased three-fold in the past fifteen years.”

    Quoting the CAG report for the year ending on March 31, 2021, the charge sheet alleged that “In view of the increasing committed expenditure on one hand and revenue deficit on the other, the State Government would have to work out a well-thought-out borrowing repayment strategy to avoid falling into a debt trap.”

    AHMEDABAD: Releasing a 22-point charge sheet against the ruling BJP in Gujarat, Opposition Congress on Sunday alleged that the recent Morbi Bridge tragedy is an example of a “BJP-created disaster”.

    The charge sheet made several allegations against the Gujarat government about the Morbi tragedy.

    “It is amply clear only BJP and its cronies are directly responsible for 136 lives lost in that unfortunate incident, it is amply clear that only BJP and its cronies are directly responsible for 136 lives lost in that unfortunate incident,” stated the charge sheet.

    “The BJP government, adept at shielding the culprits in many such horrible tragedies, is at it again in the Morbi tragedy”, it added.

    According to the charge sheet, “Gujarat was one of the brightest stars of India’s growth story when Congress left office. The state has lost its growth momentum under the successive BJP governments.”

    Reading out the charge sheet allegation, Gujarat Congress former president Arjun Modhvadiya said, “In 2020-21, Gujarat recorded a negative growth rate of 1.35%”. He added that the economic mismanagement by the BJP has led to a loss of confidence amongst investors in the state.

    “In 2016-17, Gujarat accounted for nearly one-fourth of the cost of the projects sanctioned by the banks. In 2021-22, its share had halved, falling to 11.9%,” he said.

    Gujarat’s Economic condition

    The document also underlined the economic stress of households and noted, “Gujarat had the highest food inflation among all states in the month of August 2022”.

    The charge sheet further alleged that “the meagre growth that the BJP government achieved has been fuelled by debt. The government is showcasing growth by mortgaging the state’s future. The state’s total outstanding liabilities have crossed Rs. 4,00,000 crores by the end of March 2022. The outstanding liabilities have increased three-fold in the past fifteen years.”

    Quoting the CAG report for the year ending on March 31, 2021, the charge sheet alleged that “In view of the increasing committed expenditure on one hand and revenue deficit on the other, the State Government would have to work out a well-thought-out borrowing repayment strategy to avoid falling into a debt trap.”

  • SWOT analysis: BJP eyeing seventh straight win in Gujarat

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) will battle anti-incumbency and slug it out with traditional rival Congress and aggressive new player Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) in the next month’s high-octane Assembly elections in Gujarat.

    After winning Gujarat for a record six times in a row since 1995, here is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the BJP in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

    STRENGTHS:

    *The mass appeal of Prime Minister Modi who remains BJP’s trump card.

    *BJP is banking on its outreach to the Patidars after facing the community’s ire in the 2017 polls over the quota agitation.

    Its decision to make Bhupendra Patel chief minister in September last year and bring the quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel into its fold may work in the party’s favour.

    *The Gujarat unit of the BJP has a formidable organisational setup till the booth level.

    *The ruling party is counting on the plank of Hindutva, development and ‘double engine’ growth.

    Home Minister Shah, considered a master strategist, has been overseeing the preparations.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    WEAKNESSES:

    *The BJP lacks a strong local leader who can fill Prime Minister Modi’s shoes.

    Gujarat had three chief ministers including the incumbent Bhupendra Patel since 2014 after Modi became prime minister.

    Modi was chief minister for 13 years.

    *Besides facing allegations of corruption in the state levelled by the AAP and Congress, the party may face heat on issues like inflation, unemployment and economic distress.

    *AAP’s aggressive campaign has sought to pick holes in the state’s education system and health infrastructure.

    OPPORTUNITIES:

    *A weak opposition could present the BJP with a chance to win seven Assembly elections in a row and match the CPI-M-led Left Front’s feat in West Bengal.

    *The main opposition Congress appears to be missing from the campaign with party leaders apparently preoccupied with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    *If the BJP is able to halt AAP’s march in Gujarat by restricting it to less than five seats in the 182-member Assembly, it has a chance to limit the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s ambitions to emerge as the main challenger at the national level.

    THREATS:

    *The recent bridge collapse in Morbi in which 135 people were killed may have an impact on BJP’s electoral fortunes.

    *Infighting within BJP has largely been kept under wraps due to strong central leadership, but a defeat may see the fissures come out in the open.

    *In the event of a hung Assembly, the ruling party may find it difficult to find an ally to cobble a majority.

    *If the AAP manages to win in some places, it could pose a challenge to the BJP.

    The saffron party’s seat tally has been declining in each election since 2002.

    It won 127 seats in 2002, 117 in 2007, 116 in 2012 and 99 in 2017.

    AHMEDABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) will battle anti-incumbency and slug it out with traditional rival Congress and aggressive new player Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) in the next month’s high-octane Assembly elections in Gujarat.

    After winning Gujarat for a record six times in a row since 1995, here is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the BJP in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

    STRENGTHS:

    *The mass appeal of Prime Minister Modi who remains BJP’s trump card.

    *BJP is banking on its outreach to the Patidars after facing the community’s ire in the 2017 polls over the quota agitation.

    Its decision to make Bhupendra Patel chief minister in September last year and bring the quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel into its fold may work in the party’s favour.

    *The Gujarat unit of the BJP has a formidable organisational setup till the booth level.

    *The ruling party is counting on the plank of Hindutva, development and ‘double engine’ growth.

    Home Minister Shah, considered a master strategist, has been overseeing the preparations.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    WEAKNESSES:

    *The BJP lacks a strong local leader who can fill Prime Minister Modi’s shoes.

    Gujarat had three chief ministers including the incumbent Bhupendra Patel since 2014 after Modi became prime minister.

    Modi was chief minister for 13 years.

    *Besides facing allegations of corruption in the state levelled by the AAP and Congress, the party may face heat on issues like inflation, unemployment and economic distress.

    *AAP’s aggressive campaign has sought to pick holes in the state’s education system and health infrastructure.

    OPPORTUNITIES:

    *A weak opposition could present the BJP with a chance to win seven Assembly elections in a row and match the CPI-M-led Left Front’s feat in West Bengal.

    *The main opposition Congress appears to be missing from the campaign with party leaders apparently preoccupied with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    *If the BJP is able to halt AAP’s march in Gujarat by restricting it to less than five seats in the 182-member Assembly, it has a chance to limit the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s ambitions to emerge as the main challenger at the national level.

    THREATS:

    *The recent bridge collapse in Morbi in which 135 people were killed may have an impact on BJP’s electoral fortunes.

    *Infighting within BJP has largely been kept under wraps due to strong central leadership, but a defeat may see the fissures come out in the open.

    *In the event of a hung Assembly, the ruling party may find it difficult to find an ally to cobble a majority.

    *If the AAP manages to win in some places, it could pose a challenge to the BJP.

    The saffron party’s seat tally has been declining in each election since 2002.

    It won 127 seats in 2002, 117 in 2007, 116 in 2012 and 99 in 2017.

  • Twitter removes controversial caricature tweeted by Gujarat BJP, party says not against any religion

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: A day after Twitter removed a caricature tweeted by the Gujarat BJP unit on a court verdict sentencing 38 people to death in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, the ruling party on Monday claimed the cartoon was based on real photographs and did not target any particular religion or community.

    But, the opposition Congress and some social activists hailed Twitter’s decision to remove the cartoon, and claimed the BJP was trying to gain political mileage out of the court’s judgement.

    The cartoon depicted a group of bearded men wearing skull caps hanging by a noose.

    It had a tricolour and a drawing depicting the scene of a bomb blast in the background, with “Satyamev Jayate” written on its top right corner.

    It was posted on the Gujarat BJP’s official Twitter handle on Saturday, a day after a special court here sentenced to death 38 convicts and handed life terms to 11 others in the case of 2008 serial bomb blasts in which 56 people had lost their lives and over 200 were injured.

    The caricature is not available on either the Instagram or Facebook social media pages of the state BJP unit.

    “The sketch was based on real photographs of the convicts published by newspapers a day after the verdict. The Gujarat BJP or its social media team had no intention to target any particular religion or community through the sketch,” state party unit spokesperson Dr Rutvij Patel said.

    He said when (terrorist) Osama Bin Laden was killed by American soldiers, his sketch was also published in the US.

    “Our sketch was just an artistic expression shared on social media, nothing else,” Patel said.

    Gujarat BJP’s media coordinator Yagnesh Dave on Sunday said Twitter removed the caricature after “someone had reported against it”.

    Meanwhile, state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi welcomed Twitter’s action.

    “We firmly believe that terrorism has no religion. The Congress had lost two if its leaders – Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi – fighting terrorism. The verdicts of courts must not be seen through a political prism,” he said.

    “But, the BJP tried to take political advantage out of this (2008 Ahmedabad blasts case) judgement. This is BJP’s old tactic to remain in power. Instead of indulging in such dramas, the BJP should focus on issues concerning the common man,” the Congress leader said.

    Social activist Mujahid Nafees, who also runs an NGO for the minority community’s welfare, claimed the BJP always targets the country’s minorities, mainly Muslims and Christians, for political gains.

    “The BJP had published the cartoon with the sole purpose of reigniting polarisation in Uttar Pradesh, where elections are underway. This is an attempt to communalise the issue of terrorism. The BJP believes in divide and rule,” he alleged.

  • Nimaben Acharya becomes first woman Speaker of Gujarat Assembly 

    By PTI

    GANDHINAGAR: Senior BJP MLA Nimaben Acharya became the first woman Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly on Monday.

    The opposition Congress supported Acharya’s nomination for the post, following which she was elected unopposed as the new Speaker on the first day of state Assembly’s two-day monsoon session which began here on Monday.

    Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel proposed her name for the Speaker’s post and Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani gave consent on behalf of the Congress, which has 65 MLAs in the 182-member House.

    “For the first time after the formation of Gujarat in 1960, the state Assembly has a woman Speaker. I congratulate her on behalf of the entire House,” Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said.

    Acharya assured the House that she will try to fulfill her new responsibility to the best of her ability.

    The Speaker’s post fell vacant after Rajendra Trivedi resigned on September 16 and joined the new state cabinet led by CM Bhupendra Patel.

    Trivedi is currently holding charge of the revenue as well as the legislative and parliamentary affairs departments in the BJP government.

  • PM Narendra Modi’s 71st birthday: Cake, cut-out, rangoli mark Gujarat BJP celebrations

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat BJP on Friday marked the 71st birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with several programmes under its ‘sewa and samarpan’ campaign.

    Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil unveiled a 71-foot cut-out made of vinyl sheets of the PM in Radhanpur in Mehsana, with one of the organisers, Pintu Patel of Rajdhani Foundation, stating that 171 couples will hold prayers to Lord Ram for the long life of the PM and corona warriors will be felicitated at an event later in the evening.

    ALSO READ | Daily vaccination drive reaches milestone of 2 crore on PM Modi’s birthday

    Paatil also inaugurated a 71 feet long rangoli of the PM at a mall in Vadodara, while a 182 meter long cake was prepared and distributed among the poor and persons with disability (PwD) at the same venue.

    માનનીય પ્રધાનમંત્રી શ્રી @narendramodi સાહેબનાં જન્મદિવસ નિમિત્તે એમના વિરાટ વ્યક્તિત્વની ઝાંખી કરાવતા 71 ફૂટના કટઆઉટનું મહેસાણા ખાતે અનાવરણ કર્યું. #HappyBdayModiji pic.twitter.com/KyJQIVygt7
    — C R Paatil (@CRPaatil) September 17, 2021
    He inaugurated an exhibition depicting important events of PM Modi’s life and work at the party headquarters in Gandhinagar, while a similar exhibition was inaugurated at Kankaria lake by BJP Yuva Morcha national president Tejasvi Surya.

    Paatil said the Gujarat BJP will plant 71 lakh trees over the next few days and distribute 71 lakh books to needy students.

  • Gujarat BJP in-charge chairs party’s core group meeting

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: BJP general secretary in-charge of Gujarat, Bhupender Yadav, on Friday chaired a meeting of the state party unit’s core group to take stock of the work done by the cadres to help people during the coronavirus pandemic and Tauktae cyclone.

    Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil, union minister Parshottam Rupala and state Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama were some of the key members of the state BJP’s core group, who attended the meeting.

    During the meeting, the party leaders also discussed the measures to deal with a possible third wave of COVID-19, Paatil told reporters at the party headquarters in Gandhinagar after the meeting.

    He added that “primary discussions” about the party’s preparations for the upcoming Assembly election next year were also held during the meeting.

    “The core group members apprised Yadav of the work done by the party workers in helping people during the second wave of coronavirus.

    We also informed him about how the party cadres arranged kits and other essential items for the cyclone-hit people,” said Paatil, adding that the core group also offered condolences to those who lost their lives in the pandemic.

    “We discussed the preparedness of the state government as well as the BJP organisation to cope with the possible third wave of coronavirus.

    Some primary discussions about the 2022 Assembly election were also held during the meeting of the core group,” said Paatil.

    The state unit chief added that Yadav, who is on a three-day Gujarat visit starting Friday, also gave some suggestions to the members after listening to them.

  • AAP begins membership drive to take on BJP in 2022 Gujarat elections

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: Upbeat after performing well in the recent local bodies polls in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday launched a drive to increase its membership to 50 lakh in 50 days as part of preparations for the 2022 Assembly polls.

    Under its ‘Mission 2022’ plan, the party will open 55,000 booth-level committees over the next six months and take efforts to strengthen its district set up, state unit chief Gopal Italiya said at a press conference here.

    “We are launching a mobile number, 72800-38003, for people to give a missed call and become AAP members. We will contest the 2022 election with full strength and will not let the BJP win this time,” he added.

    Gulab Singh, AAP MLA from Delhi and the party’s Gujarat in charge said its south zone in charge in the state, Manoj Sorathiya, had been made general secretary as reward for the wonderful performance in the Surat municipal corporation polls.

    “The 2022 Assembly election will be a direct contest between the BJP and AAP,” Sorathiya said.