News Analysis India

Tag: Gujarat polls

  • Congress doesn’t respect tribals, didn’t support Murmu in presidential polls: PM Modi in Gujarat

    By PTI

    NETRANG: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of having no respect for the tribal community in the country, and said it even opposed the candidature of Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election held earlier this year.

    Addressing a public rally at Netrang, a tribal area of Bharuch district in poll-bound Gujarat, Modi also said that the entire world was amazed at how India has come out of such a big pandemic of COVID-19 in such a short span.

    “Congress has no respect for tribals in the country…We decided to make our tribal daughter (Droupadi Murmu) the president of the country. We went to Congress with folded hands to accept her (support her candidature), but they opposed. We put all our might and made the tribal daughter win the election,” Modi said.

    “Be it, Birsa Munda or Govind Guru, the Congress did not give respect to tribal leaders of the country,” he further alleged.ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    The PM said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in a big country like India was terrifying.

    “The whole world faced such a terrifying pandemic. If someone gets sick at our home, we take four to five years to come out of it (financial effect). We faced the pandemic in such a big country. But the way we came out of it, the entire world is amazed. They are not able to understand how it happened,” Modi said.

    “Factories got closed; people had to go back to their villages. In such circumstances, our first concern was there should be enough food for poor people; a child of a poor should not go to sleep without food. So we have been providing free ration to 80 crore people for the last three years,” he said.

    “Secondly, to fight the pandemic, vaccination was crucial. Even now, many countries are struggling to vaccinate their entire population. We have given more than 200 crore doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine. After two doses, we provided a booster dose also free,” Modi said.

    The prime minister said that the Digital India campaign has brought about a revolution in the country.

    If the Congress was in power, your mobile bill could have been around Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per month, which is minimal now. “We made data affordable,” he said.

    Speaking on the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), he said that in the past, specifications of houses built under government schemes were set by the people sitting in Gandhinagar or Delhi.

    “But we changed the rules. How can a person sitting in Delhi know what is the requirement of a tribal person who is in poultry farming? We said that you should trust our people as nobody will build an inferior quality home for themselves,” the prime minister said.

    NETRANG: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of having no respect for the tribal community in the country, and said it even opposed the candidature of Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election held earlier this year.

    Addressing a public rally at Netrang, a tribal area of Bharuch district in poll-bound Gujarat, Modi also said that the entire world was amazed at how India has come out of such a big pandemic of COVID-19 in such a short span.

    “Congress has no respect for tribals in the country…We decided to make our tribal daughter (Droupadi Murmu) the president of the country. We went to Congress with folded hands to accept her (support her candidature), but they opposed. We put all our might and made the tribal daughter win the election,” Modi said.

    “Be it, Birsa Munda or Govind Guru, the Congress did not give respect to tribal leaders of the country,” he further alleged.ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    The PM said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in a big country like India was terrifying.

    “The whole world faced such a terrifying pandemic. If someone gets sick at our home, we take four to five years to come out of it (financial effect). We faced the pandemic in such a big country. But the way we came out of it, the entire world is amazed. They are not able to understand how it happened,” Modi said.

    “Factories got closed; people had to go back to their villages. In such circumstances, our first concern was there should be enough food for poor people; a child of a poor should not go to sleep without food. So we have been providing free ration to 80 crore people for the last three years,” he said.

    “Secondly, to fight the pandemic, vaccination was crucial. Even now, many countries are struggling to vaccinate their entire population. We have given more than 200 crore doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine. After two doses, we provided a booster dose also free,” Modi said.

    The prime minister said that the Digital India campaign has brought about a revolution in the country.

    If the Congress was in power, your mobile bill could have been around Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per month, which is minimal now. “We made data affordable,” he said.

    Speaking on the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), he said that in the past, specifications of houses built under government schemes were set by the people sitting in Gandhinagar or Delhi.

    “But we changed the rules. How can a person sitting in Delhi know what is the requirement of a tribal person who is in poultry farming? We said that you should trust our people as nobody will build an inferior quality home for themselves,” the prime minister said.

  • Gujarat polls: Battle of Jadejas features cricketer brother, sister bat for different parties

    By PTI

    JAMNAGAR: Hours before cricketer Ravindra Jadeja travelled through the city’s market in an open SUV as part of a BJP roadshow, his sister Naynaba Jadeja sought votes for the Congress, reminding voters of price rise under the ruling party and its “unfulfilled” employment promises.

    While the famous cricketer campaigned for his wife Rivaba Jadeja, his elder sister canvassed for Bipendrasinh Jadeja, highlighting the “sibling rivalry” that has added another layer of interest in the poll after the BJP dropped its sitting MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, locally better known as Hakubha.

    A contender for the Congress ticket from the Jamnagar North seat, Naynaba has emerged as a key campaigner for her party after the BJP chose her famous brother’s wife as its candidate.

    She is often the focus of media queries while the Congress candidate, a seasoned organisation man and businessman, plays a supporting role.

    “I have my ideology and have been with a party I admire,” she says, slamming the BJP over the issue of price rise and claiming that it only makes promises to people but never fulfils them, be it on employment or education.

    An overwhelmingly urban constituency, Jamnagar North may be seen as more favourable to the BJP than the Congress even though the opposition party’s supporters believe their party can spring a surprise.

    Naynaba argues that since the constituency voted for the first time in 2012 after being carved out following delimitation, it is essentially a Congress seat as it won for the first time while the BJP grabbed it in 2017 after the incumbent MLA crossed over to the saffron camp.

    Even the winning BJP candidate was a Congressman who won on his appeal, and our party will score this time, she claims.

    Congress leaders also hope to benefit from any faultlines within the BJP caused by its denial of the ticket to the sitting MLA.

    The AAP has fielded Karsan Karmur, who had quit the BJP to join it last year.

    The state will have two-phase Assembly polls on December 1 and 5, while the votes will be counted on December 8.

    It is witnessing a three-cornered fight with the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the fray.

    Hakubha, an influential person, has now been dropped in favour of Riviba Jadeja but the BJP has managed to placate him by making him the party’s in-charge for polling in three assembly seats, including Jamnagar North.

    Rajputs, the community the two main candidates hail from, and Muslims are among the largest voting blocs here.

    Campaigning for Rivaba, BJP workers express confidence in her win and claim the curiosity is more about the margin.

    They also dismiss the Congress’ “outsider” charge against her, arguing that she had been working in the region after joining the BJP in 2019, months after she and her husband Ravindra Jadeja met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    A degree holder in mechanical engineering, she was born and raised in Rajkot while her husband is from Jamnagar. Before joining the BJP, she was in Karni Sena, a Rajput group accused in the past of vandalism and violence in the promotion of its causes.

    She joined Karni Sena and later the BJP in the spirit of doing something good for the society and country, she has often said in her public interactions and cites Modi as her inspiration for entering politics.

    JAMNAGAR: Hours before cricketer Ravindra Jadeja travelled through the city’s market in an open SUV as part of a BJP roadshow, his sister Naynaba Jadeja sought votes for the Congress, reminding voters of price rise under the ruling party and its “unfulfilled” employment promises.

    While the famous cricketer campaigned for his wife Rivaba Jadeja, his elder sister canvassed for Bipendrasinh Jadeja, highlighting the “sibling rivalry” that has added another layer of interest in the poll after the BJP dropped its sitting MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, locally better known as Hakubha.

    A contender for the Congress ticket from the Jamnagar North seat, Naynaba has emerged as a key campaigner for her party after the BJP chose her famous brother’s wife as its candidate.

    She is often the focus of media queries while the Congress candidate, a seasoned organisation man and businessman, plays a supporting role.

    “I have my ideology and have been with a party I admire,” she says, slamming the BJP over the issue of price rise and claiming that it only makes promises to people but never fulfils them, be it on employment or education.

    An overwhelmingly urban constituency, Jamnagar North may be seen as more favourable to the BJP than the Congress even though the opposition party’s supporters believe their party can spring a surprise.

    Naynaba argues that since the constituency voted for the first time in 2012 after being carved out following delimitation, it is essentially a Congress seat as it won for the first time while the BJP grabbed it in 2017 after the incumbent MLA crossed over to the saffron camp.

    Even the winning BJP candidate was a Congressman who won on his appeal, and our party will score this time, she claims.

    Congress leaders also hope to benefit from any faultlines within the BJP caused by its denial of the ticket to the sitting MLA.

    The AAP has fielded Karsan Karmur, who had quit the BJP to join it last year.

    The state will have two-phase Assembly polls on December 1 and 5, while the votes will be counted on December 8.

    It is witnessing a three-cornered fight with the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the fray.

    Hakubha, an influential person, has now been dropped in favour of Riviba Jadeja but the BJP has managed to placate him by making him the party’s in-charge for polling in three assembly seats, including Jamnagar North.

    Rajputs, the community the two main candidates hail from, and Muslims are among the largest voting blocs here.

    Campaigning for Rivaba, BJP workers express confidence in her win and claim the curiosity is more about the margin.

    They also dismiss the Congress’ “outsider” charge against her, arguing that she had been working in the region after joining the BJP in 2019, months after she and her husband Ravindra Jadeja met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    A degree holder in mechanical engineering, she was born and raised in Rajkot while her husband is from Jamnagar. Before joining the BJP, she was in Karni Sena, a Rajput group accused in the past of vandalism and violence in the promotion of its causes.

    She joined Karni Sena and later the BJP in the spirit of doing something good for the society and country, she has often said in her public interactions and cites Modi as her inspiration for entering politics.

  • Gujarat: Drug hauls, water crisis and communal divide dominate poll scene in Kutch

    By PTI

    KUTCH: As the Pakistan bordering Kutch district of Gujarat goes to polls next month, drug hauls worth thousands of crores of rupees, water crisis in this arid region and sporadic incidents of communal clashes have become major election issues in the area.

    Last year, in a major drug haul, around 3,000 kg of heroin worth nearly Rs 21,000 crore was seized at the Mundra Port in Kutch, the country’s largest district which shares land and marine border with Pakistan.

    While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to project it as national security being in safe hands with the saffron camp in power, the opposition Congress has questioned the failure of the state and the Centre from stopping drug trafficking.

    There have also been a number of other cases of drugs seizure in Kutch in the recent past.

    “The question is not about how much was seized, but how this (heroin seized last year) consignment came under the radar. What about other such consignments which might have passed without being noticed? The people of the state want to know what steps have been taken to prevent such incidents,” state Congress leader and spokesperson Lalit Vasoya told PTI.

    The Congress, in its campaign, especially in the bordering areas, has been harping on the issue of drug menace in the state and the Kutch region being used as a safe passage by drug traffickers.

    Refuting the allegations as baseless, BJP’s Kutch district media in-charge Satvik Gadhvi said the drug seizure is an example of the fact that his party, unlike the Congress, never compromises on the issue of national security.

    “For the BJP, the nation comes first, unlike the Congress for which the vote bank is first and foremost. The seizure proves that the nation and the state are safe,” he said.

    Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held on December 1 and 5.

    Kutch, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 1, has six Assembly constituencies – Abdasa, Bhuj, Rapar, all bordering Pakistan, and Mandvi, Anjar and Gandhidham.

    In 2017, the BJP won four of these seats, while the Congress bagged the minority-influenced Abdasa along with the Rapar constituency.

    But, the MLA from Abdasa switched over to the saffron camp in 2020 and later won the seat on the BJP’s ticket.

    As per the 2011 census data, Kutch had 76.89 per cent Hindus and 21.14 per cent Muslims, with Abdasa and Bhuj Assembly constituencies having a considerable minority population.

    While Gujarat had been in news for the post-2002 Godhra riots, Kutch, which was reeling under the effect of the 2001 earthquake, remained insulated from communal politics until a few years back.

    But it is not the case this time as there has been a simmering communal divide in various parts of Kutch over multiple issues, including sporadic incidents of such violence reported in the last two years.

    In August this year, a murder led to a communal clash in Madhapur village in Kutch.

    In January last year, there was a clash between members of two communities in Kidana village during a rally for collection of funds for the Ram temple construction.

    “Kutch has always been peaceful despite whatever is happening in other parts of the state. But the situation is not the same now. There is an atmosphere of mistrust among communities, and political parties are trying to gain from it,” 68-year-old fruit vendor in Bhuj town Parwez Sheikh claimed.

    But, Kutch BJP district unit leader Ghanshyam Thakkar told PTI that his party has maintained communal harmony in the area.

    “The Congress and the AIMIM are trying to disturb the communal harmony of the area,” he claimed.

    “We will never allow this to happen,” he added.

    According to district Congress leaders, the entry of new players, like the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has further made the poll fight interesting in the region, with minorities now having options other than the grand old party.

    The AAP is contesting in all the six seats, while the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is contesting in two seats.

    Some local BJP leaders, on condition of anonymity, claimed the saffron camp will gain from the AAP and AIMIM contesting the polls.

    “In Bhuj and Abdasa, if the AIMIM and AAP respectively manage to cut even 15,000 opposition votes, it would benefit us,” a BJP leader said.

    The opposition Congress this time hopes to make a clean sweep against the BJP in the district.

    Kutch district Congress President Yajuvendra Jadeja said the BJP knows that 27 years of anti-incumbency is taking a heavy toll on it, and they are using everything at their disposal to win the elections.

    “From using the AIMIM and the AAP, they are doing everything to divide the opposition. But it won’t yield any results. These two parties are just B-teams of the BJP,” he claimed.

    However, the AAP and the AIMIM district leadership have dubbed such allegations as “baseless”.

    “We are not the B-team of any party. The truth is that neither the BJP nor the Congress has done anything for the Muslim community of Gujarat,” AIMIM candidate from Bhuj Sakil Sama said.

    Another key issue in the region is the water crisis, especially getting supply from the Narmada river.

    The Kutch Branch Canal is a branch of the Narmada Main Canal (NMC), which originates at Kevadia and is supposed to provide water to the Mandvi area.

    In other areas, such as Abdasa and Bhuj, the work for a pipeline for the canal connecting it with the NMC is yet to start, thus leaving the entire region yearning for water.

    Locals depend on deep borewells, rainwater or government tankers for water supply in the region.

    The local BJP unit agreed that “water crisis” is a major issue, but blamed the Narmada Bachao Andolan for the constant delay in the Sardar Sarovar Project.

    “The entire project has been delayed due to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. We are confident that once the elections are over, the work will start on a war footing to set up the infrastructure to bring in regular water supply in the region,” BJP MLA from Abdasa Pradhyuman Sinh Jadeja told PTI.

    On the other hand, the Congress claims water crisis in the region is the biggest example of the BJP’s administrative and political failure.

    “Even after 27 years, if you have to blame others for failing to provide water in the region, then BJP leaders should quit politics and sit back at home. This is the biggest example of BJP’s administrative failure,” Yajuvendra Jadeja said.

    Senior AAP leader Ankita Gor said if voted to power, the party would ensure drinking water facilities in each household of the region.

    KUTCH: As the Pakistan bordering Kutch district of Gujarat goes to polls next month, drug hauls worth thousands of crores of rupees, water crisis in this arid region and sporadic incidents of communal clashes have become major election issues in the area.

    Last year, in a major drug haul, around 3,000 kg of heroin worth nearly Rs 21,000 crore was seized at the Mundra Port in Kutch, the country’s largest district which shares land and marine border with Pakistan.

    While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to project it as national security being in safe hands with the saffron camp in power, the opposition Congress has questioned the failure of the state and the Centre from stopping drug trafficking.

    There have also been a number of other cases of drugs seizure in Kutch in the recent past.

    “The question is not about how much was seized, but how this (heroin seized last year) consignment came under the radar. What about other such consignments which might have passed without being noticed? The people of the state want to know what steps have been taken to prevent such incidents,” state Congress leader and spokesperson Lalit Vasoya told PTI.

    The Congress, in its campaign, especially in the bordering areas, has been harping on the issue of drug menace in the state and the Kutch region being used as a safe passage by drug traffickers.

    Refuting the allegations as baseless, BJP’s Kutch district media in-charge Satvik Gadhvi said the drug seizure is an example of the fact that his party, unlike the Congress, never compromises on the issue of national security.

    “For the BJP, the nation comes first, unlike the Congress for which the vote bank is first and foremost. The seizure proves that the nation and the state are safe,” he said.

    Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held on December 1 and 5.

    Kutch, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 1, has six Assembly constituencies – Abdasa, Bhuj, Rapar, all bordering Pakistan, and Mandvi, Anjar and Gandhidham.

    In 2017, the BJP won four of these seats, while the Congress bagged the minority-influenced Abdasa along with the Rapar constituency.

    But, the MLA from Abdasa switched over to the saffron camp in 2020 and later won the seat on the BJP’s ticket.

    As per the 2011 census data, Kutch had 76.89 per cent Hindus and 21.14 per cent Muslims, with Abdasa and Bhuj Assembly constituencies having a considerable minority population.

    While Gujarat had been in news for the post-2002 Godhra riots, Kutch, which was reeling under the effect of the 2001 earthquake, remained insulated from communal politics until a few years back.

    But it is not the case this time as there has been a simmering communal divide in various parts of Kutch over multiple issues, including sporadic incidents of such violence reported in the last two years.

    In August this year, a murder led to a communal clash in Madhapur village in Kutch.

    In January last year, there was a clash between members of two communities in Kidana village during a rally for collection of funds for the Ram temple construction.

    “Kutch has always been peaceful despite whatever is happening in other parts of the state. But the situation is not the same now. There is an atmosphere of mistrust among communities, and political parties are trying to gain from it,” 68-year-old fruit vendor in Bhuj town Parwez Sheikh claimed.

    But, Kutch BJP district unit leader Ghanshyam Thakkar told PTI that his party has maintained communal harmony in the area.

    “The Congress and the AIMIM are trying to disturb the communal harmony of the area,” he claimed.

    “We will never allow this to happen,” he added.

    According to district Congress leaders, the entry of new players, like the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has further made the poll fight interesting in the region, with minorities now having options other than the grand old party.

    The AAP is contesting in all the six seats, while the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is contesting in two seats.

    Some local BJP leaders, on condition of anonymity, claimed the saffron camp will gain from the AAP and AIMIM contesting the polls.

    “In Bhuj and Abdasa, if the AIMIM and AAP respectively manage to cut even 15,000 opposition votes, it would benefit us,” a BJP leader said.

    The opposition Congress this time hopes to make a clean sweep against the BJP in the district.

    Kutch district Congress President Yajuvendra Jadeja said the BJP knows that 27 years of anti-incumbency is taking a heavy toll on it, and they are using everything at their disposal to win the elections.

    “From using the AIMIM and the AAP, they are doing everything to divide the opposition. But it won’t yield any results. These two parties are just B-teams of the BJP,” he claimed.

    However, the AAP and the AIMIM district leadership have dubbed such allegations as “baseless”.

    “We are not the B-team of any party. The truth is that neither the BJP nor the Congress has done anything for the Muslim community of Gujarat,” AIMIM candidate from Bhuj Sakil Sama said.

    Another key issue in the region is the water crisis, especially getting supply from the Narmada river.

    The Kutch Branch Canal is a branch of the Narmada Main Canal (NMC), which originates at Kevadia and is supposed to provide water to the Mandvi area.

    In other areas, such as Abdasa and Bhuj, the work for a pipeline for the canal connecting it with the NMC is yet to start, thus leaving the entire region yearning for water.

    Locals depend on deep borewells, rainwater or government tankers for water supply in the region.

    The local BJP unit agreed that “water crisis” is a major issue, but blamed the Narmada Bachao Andolan for the constant delay in the Sardar Sarovar Project.

    “The entire project has been delayed due to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. We are confident that once the elections are over, the work will start on a war footing to set up the infrastructure to bring in regular water supply in the region,” BJP MLA from Abdasa Pradhyuman Sinh Jadeja told PTI.

    On the other hand, the Congress claims water crisis in the region is the biggest example of the BJP’s administrative and political failure.

    “Even after 27 years, if you have to blame others for failing to provide water in the region, then BJP leaders should quit politics and sit back at home. This is the biggest example of BJP’s administrative failure,” Yajuvendra Jadeja said.

    Senior AAP leader Ankita Gor said if voted to power, the party would ensure drinking water facilities in each household of the region.

  • AAP to record historic victory in Gujarat polls, become a national party: Kejriwal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Saturday that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will record a “historic victory” in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls and become a “national” political party.

    Congratulating the party workers on the 10th anniversary of the AAP’s foundation day, Kejriwal said the party has created “many histories” in Indian politics since it came into existence on November 26, 2012, and become “a new hope” for the people of the country.

    “The Aam Aadmi Party was formed 10 years ago on this day. In these 10 years, the party created many histories in Indian politics with the immense love of the public and the hard work of the workers,” Kejriwal, the national convenor of the party, said in a series of tweets.

    10 साल पहले आज ही के दिन आम आदमी पार्टी की स्थापना हुई थी। इन 10 सालों में जनता के बेशुमार प्यार और कार्यकर्ताओं की मेहनत से पार्टी ने भारतीय राजनीति में कई इतिहास रचे। आज आम आदमी पार्टी देश की जनता की नई उम्मीद बन चुकी है, विश्वास बन चुकी है। pic.twitter.com/SHV97E6ru3

    — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 26, 2022

    ALSO READ | Stench of hawala in Gujarat AAP cash theft

    “The AAP has offered new hope to the people of the country and gained their trust,” he said.

    “With yet another historic victory, the AAP is going to become a national party very soon,” he said.

    Riding high on its stupendous victory in the Punjab Assembly polls earlier this year, the AAP is betting big in poll-bound Gujarat. It has fielded candidates in all 182 Assembly constituencies in the BJP-ruled state.

    Till the 2017 Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress were the main contenders in Gujarat.

    With the AAP joining the fray with its high-decibel campaign, the state is set to witness a three-cornered poll contest this time.

    The Kejriwal-led party is hoping to gain its foothold in the state by winning several seats in the polls to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.

    According to the rules, a political party gets the status of a “State Party” if it secures 6 per cent of the votes polled and two seats in a legislative assembly. If a party gets the status of a “State Party” in four states, it automatically becomes a “National Party.”

    The AAP is recognised as a “State Party” in Delhi, Punjab and Goa. If it secures 6 per cent of the votes polled and two seats in Gujarat, it will earn the tag of a “National Party.”ALSO READ | AAP has most candidates with criminal backgrounds in MCD polls

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Saturday that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will record a “historic victory” in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls and become a “national” political party.

    Congratulating the party workers on the 10th anniversary of the AAP’s foundation day, Kejriwal said the party has created “many histories” in Indian politics since it came into existence on November 26, 2012, and become “a new hope” for the people of the country.

    “The Aam Aadmi Party was formed 10 years ago on this day. In these 10 years, the party created many histories in Indian politics with the immense love of the public and the hard work of the workers,” Kejriwal, the national convenor of the party, said in a series of tweets.

    10 साल पहले आज ही के दिन आम आदमी पार्टी की स्थापना हुई थी। इन 10 सालों में जनता के बेशुमार प्यार और कार्यकर्ताओं की मेहनत से पार्टी ने भारतीय राजनीति में कई इतिहास रचे। आज आम आदमी पार्टी देश की जनता की नई उम्मीद बन चुकी है, विश्वास बन चुकी है। pic.twitter.com/SHV97E6ru3

    — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 26, 2022

    ALSO READ | Stench of hawala in Gujarat AAP cash theft

    “The AAP has offered new hope to the people of the country and gained their trust,” he said.

    “With yet another historic victory, the AAP is going to become a national party very soon,” he said.

    Riding high on its stupendous victory in the Punjab Assembly polls earlier this year, the AAP is betting big in poll-bound Gujarat. It has fielded candidates in all 182 Assembly constituencies in the BJP-ruled state.

    Till the 2017 Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress were the main contenders in Gujarat.

    With the AAP joining the fray with its high-decibel campaign, the state is set to witness a three-cornered poll contest this time.

    The Kejriwal-led party is hoping to gain its foothold in the state by winning several seats in the polls to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.

    According to the rules, a political party gets the status of a “State Party” if it secures 6 per cent of the votes polled and two seats in a legislative assembly. If a party gets the status of a “State Party” in four states, it automatically becomes a “National Party.”

    The AAP is recognised as a “State Party” in Delhi, Punjab and Goa. If it secures 6 per cent of the votes polled and two seats in Gujarat, it will earn the tag of a “National Party.”ALSO READ | AAP has most candidates with criminal backgrounds in MCD polls

  • Water needs dominate voter minds in Gujarat’s Tharad’s constituency

    By PTI

    THARAD:  “There is no water, give us water.” As the sun beats down on arid flatlands punctuated by salt marshes, it’s the one demand and paramount need verbalised by voters in this border area when candidates call on them in this election season.

    In the ebb and flow of life, water is the exigency, cutting through lines in a society riven by caste, the deciding factor for weddings with parents preferring to fix their daughters’ weddings in villages close to the only Narmada canal in the area.

    And the undercurrent running through the campaign of all party candidates in Banaskantha’s Tharad constituency, about 40 km from the Pakistan border and just 15 km from Rajasthan.

    The BJP has fielded Shankar Chaudhary, an OBC (other backward classes) and chairperson of Asia’s biggest dairy, Banas Dairy, from this constituency dominated by the Chaudhary caste.

    Among the 14 candidates in the fray for the December 5 election, is Congress’ sitting MLA Gulab Singh Peerabhai, also an OBC. The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Virchandbhai Chelabhai Chavda.ALSO READ | How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections 

    “Pani nathi, pani aapo (there is no water, give us water)” was the chorus from a group of women, some with veils drawn over their faces, at Ajawada village where the BJP’s nominee Chaudhary went asking for votes.

    The women, who spend many hours each day collecting water for their homes, were from all castes.

    Jamna Ben, who greeted him in traditional style by putting a red ’tilak’ on his forehead, echoed them. “I am hopeful you will give me water,” she said.

    Addressing the small gathering on the premises of the village temple, Chaudhary assured them he will resolve their problems and concludes his speech with ‘gau (cow) mata ki jai’.

    The issue found echo as he moved to the next village, Vantadu, for a post-death ritual.

    Chaudhary, who replaced the red turban with a white one, appealed to them to vote for the BJP and assured them their water needs will be addressed.

    Bharubhai Kag, a Chaudhary by caste, watched the goings on and placed the matter in perspective. “There is only one Narmada canal in the district which has been providing water to only 38 villages in Tharad taluka having a total of 135 villages,” Kag told PTI.

    The water level, he said, has gone down drastically and borewells need to be dug very deep to get water which is anyway saline and not good for crops. “People from villages which are near the canal don’t marry their daughters to boys from villages that are far away from the canal are dependent on the borewells for irrigation,” Kag added.

    Standing next to him, Maheshji Bhai Thakor, from the Thakor caste as his name suggests, agreed.

    “Water is such a big issue that people can vote for a person from another caste if it gets resolved. Both Kag and Thakor describe Congress MLA as a good man. The going, they said, will be tough for him this time with the Congress appearing to punch above its weight. Gulab Singh is always there to help people but people want someone who will sit in Ahmedabad and resolve their differences,” Thakor said.

    Addressing a rally in the constituency recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Chaudhary will become a big man if he wins the election.

    Singh has been conducting a low-key, going door-to-door and meeting elders and youngsters from every caste. He has been talking at length about the water scarcity issue in his speech, blaming the BJP which has been in power for nearly three decades for it.

    In the 2017 Gujarat assembly election, BJP’s Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel won the election but later left the seat after getting elected as MP from Banaskantha district. Congress’ Gulab Singh won defeating the BJP candidate in the bypoll in 2019.

    In 2017, Chaudhary contested from the Vav constituency of Banaskantha and lost to Congress’s Geniben Thakor.

    The Gujarat elections are being held over two phases, on December 1 and 5. The votes will be counted on December 8.

    THARAD:  “There is no water, give us water.” As the sun beats down on arid flatlands punctuated by salt marshes, it’s the one demand and paramount need verbalised by voters in this border area when candidates call on them in this election season.

    In the ebb and flow of life, water is the exigency, cutting through lines in a society riven by caste, the deciding factor for weddings with parents preferring to fix their daughters’ weddings in villages close to the only Narmada canal in the area.

    And the undercurrent running through the campaign of all party candidates in Banaskantha’s Tharad constituency, about 40 km from the Pakistan border and just 15 km from Rajasthan.

    The BJP has fielded Shankar Chaudhary, an OBC (other backward classes) and chairperson of Asia’s biggest dairy, Banas Dairy, from this constituency dominated by the Chaudhary caste.

    Among the 14 candidates in the fray for the December 5 election, is Congress’ sitting MLA Gulab Singh Peerabhai, also an OBC. The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Virchandbhai Chelabhai Chavda.ALSO READ | How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections 

    “Pani nathi, pani aapo (there is no water, give us water)” was the chorus from a group of women, some with veils drawn over their faces, at Ajawada village where the BJP’s nominee Chaudhary went asking for votes.

    The women, who spend many hours each day collecting water for their homes, were from all castes.

    Jamna Ben, who greeted him in traditional style by putting a red ’tilak’ on his forehead, echoed them. “I am hopeful you will give me water,” she said.

    Addressing the small gathering on the premises of the village temple, Chaudhary assured them he will resolve their problems and concludes his speech with ‘gau (cow) mata ki jai’.

    The issue found echo as he moved to the next village, Vantadu, for a post-death ritual.

    Chaudhary, who replaced the red turban with a white one, appealed to them to vote for the BJP and assured them their water needs will be addressed.

    Bharubhai Kag, a Chaudhary by caste, watched the goings on and placed the matter in perspective. “There is only one Narmada canal in the district which has been providing water to only 38 villages in Tharad taluka having a total of 135 villages,” Kag told PTI.

    The water level, he said, has gone down drastically and borewells need to be dug very deep to get water which is anyway saline and not good for crops. “People from villages which are near the canal don’t marry their daughters to boys from villages that are far away from the canal are dependent on the borewells for irrigation,” Kag added.

    Standing next to him, Maheshji Bhai Thakor, from the Thakor caste as his name suggests, agreed.

    “Water is such a big issue that people can vote for a person from another caste if it gets resolved. Both Kag and Thakor describe Congress MLA as a good man. The going, they said, will be tough for him this time with the Congress appearing to punch above its weight. Gulab Singh is always there to help people but people want someone who will sit in Ahmedabad and resolve their differences,” Thakor said.

    Addressing a rally in the constituency recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Chaudhary will become a big man if he wins the election.

    Singh has been conducting a low-key, going door-to-door and meeting elders and youngsters from every caste. He has been talking at length about the water scarcity issue in his speech, blaming the BJP which has been in power for nearly three decades for it.

    In the 2017 Gujarat assembly election, BJP’s Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel won the election but later left the seat after getting elected as MP from Banaskantha district. Congress’ Gulab Singh won defeating the BJP candidate in the bypoll in 2019.

    In 2017, Chaudhary contested from the Vav constituency of Banaskantha and lost to Congress’s Geniben Thakor.

    The Gujarat elections are being held over two phases, on December 1 and 5. The votes will be counted on December 8.

  • Life on the other side: 20 years after train carnage, communal fissures run deep in Godhra

    By PTI

    GODHRA: A road cleaves through, marking the divide between Muslim-dominated areas and Hindu-majority localities, a metaphor perhaps for communal fissures that run deep in a town that instantly recalls the 2002 Gujarat riots.

    Twenty years after the burning of a train in Godhra killed 59 ‘karsevaks’ and triggered one of India’s worst post-Partition riots, the poll-scape reflects the yawning gulf between the two communities.

    While several minority community residents complain of no development in their localities, people from other areas of the city admit to problems but say they will vote on the issue of Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity.

    Corruption, rising unemployment and anti-incumbency against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that has been ruling the state for 27 years remain major issues in this sensitive constituency. However, Hindutva and Modi are determining factors and may triumph over them all.ALSO READ | Taught a lesson to 2002 rioters, says Amit Shah

    The road cuts through Patelwada and Polan Bazaar area near Rani Masjid, the former home to most Hindus and other communities and the latter dominated by Muslims.

    And the differences are visible.

    Polan Bazaar and its surrounding areas are crisscrossed by potholed, shoddily patchworked roads, garbage piled up on the sides and a choked drain winding through a distance away.

    The roads on the other side of the Muslim ghetto are wide.

    The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) houses small industrial units. There is also a theatre, a Pantaloon showroom, and car showrooms.

    “There are no banks, ATMs, playgrounds on our side of town,” Ishak Bokda, a supporter of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM), told PTI.

    “Development has always been on the other side dominated by Hindus and other communities,” added Faisal Suleja, AIMIM’s councillor. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM stunned everyone last year by bagging seven seats in the 44-member civic body.

    Godhra has around 2,79,000 voters. Of these, 72,000 are in the Muslim-dominated area.

    As the campaign picks up for the 182-member Assembly elections being held over two phases on December 1 and 5, most bets are on BJP’s sitting MLA C K Raulji who has been representing Godhra since 2007 — from 2007 to 2016 as part of the Congress and the saffron party since 2017.

    Against him are the Congress’ Rashmitaben Chauhan, new entrant Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajeshbhai Patel and AIMIM’s Shabbir Kachba who is seeking to cement the gains made by the party in the civic polls last year.

    Kachba, a 33-year-old local imam, accused Raulji of not addressing the issues faced by the constituency, which votes in the second phase.

    “More importantly, how can a person who called Bilkis Bano case convicts ‘sanskari’ be elected,” he said, referring to Raulji’s comments on those convicted in the 2002 gangrape and murder case. They have now been freed.

    According to Raulji, his main agenda will be to fully implement the projects started in 2017, including a 400-bed medical college and an irrigation project for 104 villages.

    The pandemic, lack of opportunities and development are a constant concern.

    No riots have been reported after 2002 from this town in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat which has had a chequered history of communal riots since Independence.

    The polarisation is evident. Many expressed their disappointment with the ruling BJP but said they would again vote for the party.

    Manish Shah, 48, a restaurateur and real estate developer who lost his mother to Covid and said lack of major industries and corruption are major issues in Godhra.

    “But we will vote on the issue of Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity,” Shah told PTI. Shah said he owned an oil depot on a road that borders the Muslim area of the city but sold his property in 2011 and ventured into real estate.

    His business partner Indubhai Bhojwani, 53, said corruption is an issue “but the safety of Hindus is an important factor.”

    Mukeshbhai Relwani, 47, who owns a paan shop at Lalbaug Chowk said he will “bleed lotus (the symbol of BJP)” if his vein is cut. “That (the other side where the Muslims reside) is mini-Pakistan. My vote will be for Hindutva,” he said reflecting the distrust between the two communities.ALSO READ | No material to support 2002 Godhra riots were pre-planned events: SC

    However, Relwani also said the BJP would have been certainly defeated if the opposition had fielded stronger candidates.

    “There is no option,” said a businessman on condition of anonymity.

    Harin Patel, 43, who is into mining said he had to send his son away to study engineering because Godhra lacks colleges that provide quality education.

    Some in the younger lot spoke of their willingness to give the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP a chance. Primary factors, they said, were unemployment and lack of opportunities.

    Deepak Padhiyar, 19, a second-year student at the Seth PT Arts and Science and Law College said he had applied for the post of a police constable but could not clear the written exam but his quest for a better life will continue.

    His father is a cobbler with the State Reserve Police Force and his mother is a homemaker who also takes care of their footwear shop.

    “There is hardly any income from the shop. Now I want to apply for the post of Talati (revenue officer). This time my preference will be to AAP,” Padhiyar said, citing the ‘Delhi model of governance’.

    Srimali Kirit (22), a first-year law student, claimed unemployment is a crucial factor here.

    “This (BJP) government is emphasising on contractual workers who have no pension. There is need for government jobs with the implementation of the old pension scheme that will give workers protection after retirement,” Kirit said.

    Kirit said his father is no more and his mother gets a pension of Rs 12,000 and another pension of Rs 1,200 under a central scheme for widows, not enough for the family to sustain their livelihood.

    The AAP has been pushing for the old pension scheme (OPS) in Gujarat if it is voted to power.

    The Gujarat government introduced a new contributory pension scheme for employees joining the service on or after April 1, 2005. According to the notification, it will make a matching contribution of 10 per cent of the basic pay plus dearness allowance contributed by the employees in the NPS fund.

    Under the Centre’s scheme, the government will contribute 14 per cent against an employee’s contribution of 10 per cent of his/her salary and DA with effect from April 1, 2019.

    After protests by employees, the state government said the new pension will not be applicable to those employees who had joined duty before April 2005.

    It also promised to increase its contribution to the fund to 14 per cent from 10 per cent earlier.

    The employees have staged massive agitations against the government in Gujarat while demanding restoration of the OPS because they believe the NPS is not in the interest of retiring employees.

    GODHRA: A road cleaves through, marking the divide between Muslim-dominated areas and Hindu-majority localities, a metaphor perhaps for communal fissures that run deep in a town that instantly recalls the 2002 Gujarat riots.

    Twenty years after the burning of a train in Godhra killed 59 ‘karsevaks’ and triggered one of India’s worst post-Partition riots, the poll-scape reflects the yawning gulf between the two communities.

    While several minority community residents complain of no development in their localities, people from other areas of the city admit to problems but say they will vote on the issue of Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity.

    Corruption, rising unemployment and anti-incumbency against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that has been ruling the state for 27 years remain major issues in this sensitive constituency. However, Hindutva and Modi are determining factors and may triumph over them all.ALSO READ | Taught a lesson to 2002 rioters, says Amit Shah

    The road cuts through Patelwada and Polan Bazaar area near Rani Masjid, the former home to most Hindus and other communities and the latter dominated by Muslims.

    And the differences are visible.

    Polan Bazaar and its surrounding areas are crisscrossed by potholed, shoddily patchworked roads, garbage piled up on the sides and a choked drain winding through a distance away.

    The roads on the other side of the Muslim ghetto are wide.

    The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) houses small industrial units. There is also a theatre, a Pantaloon showroom, and car showrooms.

    “There are no banks, ATMs, playgrounds on our side of town,” Ishak Bokda, a supporter of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM), told PTI.

    “Development has always been on the other side dominated by Hindus and other communities,” added Faisal Suleja, AIMIM’s councillor. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM stunned everyone last year by bagging seven seats in the 44-member civic body.

    Godhra has around 2,79,000 voters. Of these, 72,000 are in the Muslim-dominated area.

    As the campaign picks up for the 182-member Assembly elections being held over two phases on December 1 and 5, most bets are on BJP’s sitting MLA C K Raulji who has been representing Godhra since 2007 — from 2007 to 2016 as part of the Congress and the saffron party since 2017.

    Against him are the Congress’ Rashmitaben Chauhan, new entrant Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajeshbhai Patel and AIMIM’s Shabbir Kachba who is seeking to cement the gains made by the party in the civic polls last year.

    Kachba, a 33-year-old local imam, accused Raulji of not addressing the issues faced by the constituency, which votes in the second phase.

    “More importantly, how can a person who called Bilkis Bano case convicts ‘sanskari’ be elected,” he said, referring to Raulji’s comments on those convicted in the 2002 gangrape and murder case. They have now been freed.

    According to Raulji, his main agenda will be to fully implement the projects started in 2017, including a 400-bed medical college and an irrigation project for 104 villages.

    The pandemic, lack of opportunities and development are a constant concern.

    No riots have been reported after 2002 from this town in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat which has had a chequered history of communal riots since Independence.

    The polarisation is evident. Many expressed their disappointment with the ruling BJP but said they would again vote for the party.

    Manish Shah, 48, a restaurateur and real estate developer who lost his mother to Covid and said lack of major industries and corruption are major issues in Godhra.

    “But we will vote on the issue of Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity,” Shah told PTI. Shah said he owned an oil depot on a road that borders the Muslim area of the city but sold his property in 2011 and ventured into real estate.

    His business partner Indubhai Bhojwani, 53, said corruption is an issue “but the safety of Hindus is an important factor.”

    Mukeshbhai Relwani, 47, who owns a paan shop at Lalbaug Chowk said he will “bleed lotus (the symbol of BJP)” if his vein is cut. “That (the other side where the Muslims reside) is mini-Pakistan. My vote will be for Hindutva,” he said reflecting the distrust between the two communities.ALSO READ | No material to support 2002 Godhra riots were pre-planned events: SC

    However, Relwani also said the BJP would have been certainly defeated if the opposition had fielded stronger candidates.

    “There is no option,” said a businessman on condition of anonymity.

    Harin Patel, 43, who is into mining said he had to send his son away to study engineering because Godhra lacks colleges that provide quality education.

    Some in the younger lot spoke of their willingness to give the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP a chance. Primary factors, they said, were unemployment and lack of opportunities.

    Deepak Padhiyar, 19, a second-year student at the Seth PT Arts and Science and Law College said he had applied for the post of a police constable but could not clear the written exam but his quest for a better life will continue.

    His father is a cobbler with the State Reserve Police Force and his mother is a homemaker who also takes care of their footwear shop.

    “There is hardly any income from the shop. Now I want to apply for the post of Talati (revenue officer). This time my preference will be to AAP,” Padhiyar said, citing the ‘Delhi model of governance’.

    Srimali Kirit (22), a first-year law student, claimed unemployment is a crucial factor here.

    “This (BJP) government is emphasising on contractual workers who have no pension. There is need for government jobs with the implementation of the old pension scheme that will give workers protection after retirement,” Kirit said.

    Kirit said his father is no more and his mother gets a pension of Rs 12,000 and another pension of Rs 1,200 under a central scheme for widows, not enough for the family to sustain their livelihood.

    The AAP has been pushing for the old pension scheme (OPS) in Gujarat if it is voted to power.

    The Gujarat government introduced a new contributory pension scheme for employees joining the service on or after April 1, 2005. According to the notification, it will make a matching contribution of 10 per cent of the basic pay plus dearness allowance contributed by the employees in the NPS fund.

    Under the Centre’s scheme, the government will contribute 14 per cent against an employee’s contribution of 10 per cent of his/her salary and DA with effect from April 1, 2019.

    After protests by employees, the state government said the new pension will not be applicable to those employees who had joined duty before April 2005.

    It also promised to increase its contribution to the fund to 14 per cent from 10 per cent earlier.

    The employees have staged massive agitations against the government in Gujarat while demanding restoration of the OPS because they believe the NPS is not in the interest of retiring employees.

  • Cong backed perpetrators of violence; BJP established permanent peace in Gujarat post ’02: Amit Shah

    Shah claimed that Gujarat witnessed riots in 2002 because perpetrators became habitual of indulging in violence due to the prolonged support they received from the Congress.

  • Rs 75 lakh cash seized from car in Surat, VIP pass bearing Congress neta’s name found: Officials

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: The Static Surveillance team (SST) on Wednesday seized Rs 75 lakh in cash from Innova car number MH.04. ES.9907 parked at Rangrej Tower near Jadakhadi Mohalla in Mahidhar Pura area of Surat City. just days ahead of the assembly elections.

    On Tuesday night, the team intercepted a car with three occupants and on searching, it found Rs 75 lakh in cash.

    Two persons — Uday Gurjar who belongs to Delhi, and Mohammad Faiz, who belongs to Surat, were detained and questioned by the police. Police sources claimed a third person name Sandeep managed to escape.

    During investigation, police sources found that an Innova car was registered under the name of ‘Vinayak Travels’.

    SST officials also said they found leaflets of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Surat rally from the vehicle beside a VIP car pass bearing the name of B.M. Sandeep, the AICC secretary and the party’s in-charge of South Gujarat region.

    Surat BJP media spokesperson Jagdish Patel alleged that this indicates the involvement of a Congress leader. He claimed that further investigation will reveal whose money it is.

    Refuting the allegations, Gujarat Congress President Jagdish Thakor called it a ‘conspiracy’ to defame the party. “Let the police investigate the case, whoever is guilty must be punished. Congress never saves the guilty,” he said.

    Police sources said that the Income Tax department will conduct further investigation.

    Gujarat which has 182 assembly constituencies will go for polling in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will occur on December 8, which coincides with Himachal Pradesh’s result date.

    AHMEDABAD: The Static Surveillance team (SST) on Wednesday seized Rs 75 lakh in cash from Innova car number MH.04. ES.9907 parked at Rangrej Tower near Jadakhadi Mohalla in Mahidhar Pura area of Surat City. just days ahead of the assembly elections.

    On Tuesday night, the team intercepted a car with three occupants and on searching, it found Rs 75 lakh in cash.

    Two persons — Uday Gurjar who belongs to Delhi, and Mohammad Faiz, who belongs to Surat, were detained and questioned by the police. Police sources claimed a third person name Sandeep managed to escape.

    During investigation, police sources found that an Innova car was registered under the name of ‘Vinayak Travels’.

    SST officials also said they found leaflets of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Surat rally from the vehicle beside a VIP car pass bearing the name of B.M. Sandeep, the AICC secretary and the party’s in-charge of South Gujarat region.

    Surat BJP media spokesperson Jagdish Patel alleged that this indicates the involvement of a Congress leader. He claimed that further investigation will reveal whose money it is.

    Refuting the allegations, Gujarat Congress President Jagdish Thakor called it a ‘conspiracy’ to defame the party. “Let the police investigate the case, whoever is guilty must be punished. Congress never saves the guilty,” he said.

    Police sources said that the Income Tax department will conduct further investigation.

    Gujarat which has 182 assembly constituencies will go for polling in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will occur on December 8, which coincides with Himachal Pradesh’s result date.

  • Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi our President, asks PM Modi

    By PTI

    DAHOD (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked why the Congress did not support Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election if the opposition party was so concerned about tribals.

    He was speaking at an election rally in the tribal-dominated Dahod town of central Gujarat for BJP candidates in the region.

    Constituencies in central Gujarat will go to the polls on December 5, in the second phase of the Assembly elections.

    Speaking at a rally in tribal-dominated Mahuva village in Surat district on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of snatching away the rights of tribals.

    Modi referred to Gandhi and his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in the speech.

    ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    “A person is conducting a foot-march to get back power. In his speech, he talks about tribals. I want to ask him, why Congress did not support the BJP’s woman tribal candidate in the presidential election? Instead, they fielded their own candidate to defeat her,” the prime minister said.

    “Despite Congress’ efforts’ Droupadi Murmu became President “with the blessings of tribal people,” he added.

    “Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi (tribal) our President? It was the BJP which made a tribal person, that too a woman, our country’s President for the first time and sent a message to the world,” Modi said.

    He also accused the Congress of not paying attention to the development of the British-era Parel area of Dahod.

    “But, as PM, I remembered it, and now investment worth Rs 20,000 crore has come here for building railway locomotives. These locomotives will be exported to other countries too. This huge investment will ultimately benefit the locals,” he said.

    Dahod district received a host of facilities and benefits under the BJP government including engineering and nursing colleges, a medical college, tap water connections and development of amenities under the Smart City Project, Modi said.

    DAHOD (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked why the Congress did not support Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election if the opposition party was so concerned about tribals.

    He was speaking at an election rally in the tribal-dominated Dahod town of central Gujarat for BJP candidates in the region.

    Constituencies in central Gujarat will go to the polls on December 5, in the second phase of the Assembly elections.

    Speaking at a rally in tribal-dominated Mahuva village in Surat district on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of snatching away the rights of tribals.

    Modi referred to Gandhi and his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in the speech.

    ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    “A person is conducting a foot-march to get back power. In his speech, he talks about tribals. I want to ask him, why Congress did not support the BJP’s woman tribal candidate in the presidential election? Instead, they fielded their own candidate to defeat her,” the prime minister said.

    “Despite Congress’ efforts’ Droupadi Murmu became President “with the blessings of tribal people,” he added.

    “Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi (tribal) our President? It was the BJP which made a tribal person, that too a woman, our country’s President for the first time and sent a message to the world,” Modi said.

    He also accused the Congress of not paying attention to the development of the British-era Parel area of Dahod.

    “But, as PM, I remembered it, and now investment worth Rs 20,000 crore has come here for building railway locomotives. These locomotives will be exported to other countries too. This huge investment will ultimately benefit the locals,” he said.

    Dahod district received a host of facilities and benefits under the BJP government including engineering and nursing colleges, a medical college, tap water connections and development of amenities under the Smart City Project, Modi said.

  • Gujarat: Clinching Viramgam seat in poll debut is no cakewalk for Patidar face Hardik Patel

    By PTI

    VIRAMGAM: The ruling BJP in Gujarat has fielded newly-inducted young Patidar leader Hardik Patel to snatch from the Congress the Viramgam Assembly seat that had thrown up a surprise in the last election and is considered immune to caste politics as leaders from different castes and religions, including a minority community, have represented it so far.

    For the 29-year-old Patel, a native of Chandranagar village of Viramgam taluka of Ahmedabad who was born and brought up in Viramgam town, it is his maiden Assembly election.

    He will lock horns with sitting Congress MLA Lakhabhai Bharwad, who defeated Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tejashree Patel in 2017 by a margin of over 6,500 votes.

    Viramgam Assembly segment, which comprises Viramgam, Mandal and Detroj talukas of Ahmedabad, has been with the Congress for the last 10 years. This and 92 other seats will go to polls in the second phase on December 5.

    Interestingly, in the 2012 Assembly polls, Tejashree Patel had contested as a Congress candidate and defeated BJP’s Pragji Patel by a margin of more than 16,000 votes.

    During her tenure as the Congress MLA, she left her mark as a fierce critic of the ruling BJP, both inside and outside the Assembly.

    However, to everyone’s surprise, when she switched sides and fought on the BJP ticket in 2017, voters rejected her and chose Congress’ Lakhabhai Bharwad, who belonged to the Other Backward Class (OBC).

    While some voters feel that Bharwad is facing anti-incumbency now, some others say he has been active as an MLA and worked hard to resolve the local issues, and hence defeating him would not be easy for Hardik.

    Viramgam comprises nearly 3 lakh voters, including 65,000 Thakor (OBC) voters, 50,000 Patidars or Patel voters, nearly 35,000 Dalits, 20,000 Bharwad and Rabari community voters, 20,000 Muslims, 18,000 Koli members and 10,000 Karadia (OBC) Rajputs.

    However, this seat has so far given MLAs from different castes, including Tejashree Patel (Patidar), Daudbhai Patel (Muslim) in 1980, Kamabhai Rathod (Karadia Rajput) in 2007 and Lakhabhai Bharwad (OBC).

    “People of Viramgam never vote on caste lines. That is the reason why candidates from different castes have won over the decades. Voters of this seat only see performance and commitment towards people and the party. I am confident of retaining this seat,” said Bharwad when asked if Hardik’s nomination may create trouble for him this time.

    Bharwad is relying on his past performance and the work done for the people or at least raising the issues in the Assembly as well as at the local level to get a solution.

    Both Viramgam Municipality and Taluka Panchayat are with the BJP.

    “Earlier, the condition of roads in the constituency was bad as they were not resurfaced for seven years. But due to my consistent efforts, they have resurfaced. However, the people of Viramgam town are suffering because the BJP is ruling the municipality. People are aware of who is at fault and who did their work,” Bharwad said.

    Some locals also endorsed Bharwad’s claims about the work he had done so far as an MLA.

    “There is no doubt that Patel is more popular. But it is also a fact that Bharwad was active as an MLA and worked hard to resolve our issues, be it bad roads or overflowing gutters. We have seen him on the ground. Though he was not able to solve all the issues, people know that he had tried,” said auto driver Kantilal Parmar.

    Another voter claimed that Hardik’s chances of winning had increased with the renomination of Bharwad.

    “Bharwad is facing anti-incumbency. Looking at the caste equations, Congress should have fielded someone from Thakor community. Now, Hardik’s chances have gone up with Bharwad’s renomination,” he said.

    The Aam Aadmi Party is also in the fray, which initially gave a ticket to one Kunvarji Thakor, before suddenly replacing him with Amarsinh Thakor.

    Kunvarji was unhappy with the development and decided to fight as an independent. In 2017, he contested as an independent and secured fourth place with 10,800 votes.

    One Kirit Rathod, a known Dalit activist from Viramgam, is also in the fray as an independent.

    Many believe that this trio, if they remain in the fray, can disrupt the voting equations and give unexpected results. The last date to withdraw nomination is November 21.

    Hardik, who rose to prominence after leading the Patidar reservation agitation seeking OBC status for the Patidar caste, joined the BJP in June after being with the Congress for nearly two years.

    He is now touring villages of the region.

    In the “list of promises” issued by him, the first one says he will make sure that Viramgam gets the status of a district and rural people are already thanking Patel for taking up this issue.

    “Viramgam is big enough to be declared as a separate district. People have been demanding it for some time. This will resolve many of our problems because we have to travel all the way to Ahmedabad for various works related to the collector’s office or for court-related matters. Hardik has rightly taken up the issue,” said Amrat Patel, a local farmer.

    Other key promises include building a modern sports complex, schools, 50-bed hospitals each in Mandal taluka, Detroj taluka and near Nal Sarovar, 1,000 government houses in Viramgam town, industrial estate, and gardens, among others.

    Notably, the four-page leaflet of promises does not find any mention of the word “Patidar” in it.

    In his short bio, it is mentioned that he was born in a “Hindu family” in Gujarat and his late father Bharatbhai was an active BJP worker in this region.

    Hinting at the EWS (economically weaker sections) quota introduced in Gujarat after his agitation for reservation, the leaflet says Hardik’s “historic agitation” was instrumental in providing many benefits to not just one but several communities.

    “Our campaign is going very strong and people are showering their blessings on Hardik. People are not happy with Congress MLA and they want a change this time. We are confident that people of Viramgam seat will vote for Hardik and once again bring BJP to power in the state,” said Hardik’s campaign manager Dipak Patel.

    VIRAMGAM: The ruling BJP in Gujarat has fielded newly-inducted young Patidar leader Hardik Patel to snatch from the Congress the Viramgam Assembly seat that had thrown up a surprise in the last election and is considered immune to caste politics as leaders from different castes and religions, including a minority community, have represented it so far.

    For the 29-year-old Patel, a native of Chandranagar village of Viramgam taluka of Ahmedabad who was born and brought up in Viramgam town, it is his maiden Assembly election.

    He will lock horns with sitting Congress MLA Lakhabhai Bharwad, who defeated Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tejashree Patel in 2017 by a margin of over 6,500 votes.

    Viramgam Assembly segment, which comprises Viramgam, Mandal and Detroj talukas of Ahmedabad, has been with the Congress for the last 10 years. This and 92 other seats will go to polls in the second phase on December 5.

    Interestingly, in the 2012 Assembly polls, Tejashree Patel had contested as a Congress candidate and defeated BJP’s Pragji Patel by a margin of more than 16,000 votes.

    During her tenure as the Congress MLA, she left her mark as a fierce critic of the ruling BJP, both inside and outside the Assembly.

    However, to everyone’s surprise, when she switched sides and fought on the BJP ticket in 2017, voters rejected her and chose Congress’ Lakhabhai Bharwad, who belonged to the Other Backward Class (OBC).

    While some voters feel that Bharwad is facing anti-incumbency now, some others say he has been active as an MLA and worked hard to resolve the local issues, and hence defeating him would not be easy for Hardik.

    Viramgam comprises nearly 3 lakh voters, including 65,000 Thakor (OBC) voters, 50,000 Patidars or Patel voters, nearly 35,000 Dalits, 20,000 Bharwad and Rabari community voters, 20,000 Muslims, 18,000 Koli members and 10,000 Karadia (OBC) Rajputs.

    However, this seat has so far given MLAs from different castes, including Tejashree Patel (Patidar), Daudbhai Patel (Muslim) in 1980, Kamabhai Rathod (Karadia Rajput) in 2007 and Lakhabhai Bharwad (OBC).

    “People of Viramgam never vote on caste lines. That is the reason why candidates from different castes have won over the decades. Voters of this seat only see performance and commitment towards people and the party. I am confident of retaining this seat,” said Bharwad when asked if Hardik’s nomination may create trouble for him this time.

    Bharwad is relying on his past performance and the work done for the people or at least raising the issues in the Assembly as well as at the local level to get a solution.

    Both Viramgam Municipality and Taluka Panchayat are with the BJP.

    “Earlier, the condition of roads in the constituency was bad as they were not resurfaced for seven years. But due to my consistent efforts, they have resurfaced. However, the people of Viramgam town are suffering because the BJP is ruling the municipality. People are aware of who is at fault and who did their work,” Bharwad said.

    Some locals also endorsed Bharwad’s claims about the work he had done so far as an MLA.

    “There is no doubt that Patel is more popular. But it is also a fact that Bharwad was active as an MLA and worked hard to resolve our issues, be it bad roads or overflowing gutters. We have seen him on the ground. Though he was not able to solve all the issues, people know that he had tried,” said auto driver Kantilal Parmar.

    Another voter claimed that Hardik’s chances of winning had increased with the renomination of Bharwad.

    “Bharwad is facing anti-incumbency. Looking at the caste equations, Congress should have fielded someone from Thakor community. Now, Hardik’s chances have gone up with Bharwad’s renomination,” he said.

    The Aam Aadmi Party is also in the fray, which initially gave a ticket to one Kunvarji Thakor, before suddenly replacing him with Amarsinh Thakor.

    Kunvarji was unhappy with the development and decided to fight as an independent. In 2017, he contested as an independent and secured fourth place with 10,800 votes.

    One Kirit Rathod, a known Dalit activist from Viramgam, is also in the fray as an independent.

    Many believe that this trio, if they remain in the fray, can disrupt the voting equations and give unexpected results. The last date to withdraw nomination is November 21.

    Hardik, who rose to prominence after leading the Patidar reservation agitation seeking OBC status for the Patidar caste, joined the BJP in June after being with the Congress for nearly two years.

    He is now touring villages of the region.

    In the “list of promises” issued by him, the first one says he will make sure that Viramgam gets the status of a district and rural people are already thanking Patel for taking up this issue.

    “Viramgam is big enough to be declared as a separate district. People have been demanding it for some time. This will resolve many of our problems because we have to travel all the way to Ahmedabad for various works related to the collector’s office or for court-related matters. Hardik has rightly taken up the issue,” said Amrat Patel, a local farmer.

    Other key promises include building a modern sports complex, schools, 50-bed hospitals each in Mandal taluka, Detroj taluka and near Nal Sarovar, 1,000 government houses in Viramgam town, industrial estate, and gardens, among others.

    Notably, the four-page leaflet of promises does not find any mention of the word “Patidar” in it.

    In his short bio, it is mentioned that he was born in a “Hindu family” in Gujarat and his late father Bharatbhai was an active BJP worker in this region.

    Hinting at the EWS (economically weaker sections) quota introduced in Gujarat after his agitation for reservation, the leaflet says Hardik’s “historic agitation” was instrumental in providing many benefits to not just one but several communities.

    “Our campaign is going very strong and people are showering their blessings on Hardik. People are not happy with Congress MLA and they want a change this time. We are confident that people of Viramgam seat will vote for Hardik and once again bring BJP to power in the state,” said Hardik’s campaign manager Dipak Patel.