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I.N.D.I.A. bloc will defeat BJP in Gujarat polls: Rahul Gandhi

July 2, 2024, 5:26 am

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that I.N.D.I.A. bloc will defeat the BJP in Gujarat polls next time. Rahul Gandhi made the remarks while replying to the Motion of Thanks to President’s address.

Daring the BJP, Rahul Gandhi, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, said, “In Gujarat, I.N.D.I.A. alliance will defeat you. Take it in writing that I.N.D.I.A. will defeat you in Gujarat.”

He also said that we do not fear from the BJP. “Congress does not fear BJP, but it is the BJP which fears the Congress,” the Leader of Opposition said.

He then also slammed the BJP and said that he is happy and proud to be in opposition “as for us there is something more than power, it is truth”.

Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha that ask any small and medium industry owner why demonetization was done.

“They will say it was done to help the billionaires. I went to Gujarat, talked to the textile owner, asked him why demonetization happened, why GST happened, he clearly said that GST was brought to help the billionaires. Narendra Modi works for billionaires. It’s a simple matter,” he said.

When Rahul Gandhi said this, PM Modi was also present in the House.

Even as Rahul Gandhi stood to speak in the lower House, slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ was raised by some members.

Following the slogans of ‘jai samvidhan’, Rahul Gandhi reiterated ‘jai samvidhan’ with a copy of Constitution in his hand. “Achcha lag raha hai BJP ke log samvidhan ki baat kar rahe hai… Country has together protected Constitution, it feels nice that BJP people now repeating ‘Jai samvidhan’,” Rahul Gandhi said.

He then mentioned that there was a systematic, full-scale assault on the idea of India, the Constitution, and millions of people who resisted the ideas proposed by the BJP.

“Many of us were personally attacked, including myself. Not only the Opposition but anyone who resisted the concentration of power, wealth, and aggression against the poor, Dalits, minorities, and tribals was crushed. People were jailed and threatened,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Mentioning Manipur violence in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi took a veiled swipe at the BJP and the Prime Minister and said that that he should be ashamed of himself for disregarding the existence of Manipur and the ongoing civil war in the state.

Gujarat cabinet likely to expand after Makarsankranti: Sources

January 4, 2023, 10:48 am

Following Makarsankranti, the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s administration will likely to expand. The cabinet will include two cabinet members and three ministers of state, sources said.

BJP’s resounding victory in Gujarat makes Global headlines

December 9, 2022, 11:42 am

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a campaign to a record victory in Gujarat, has received extensive coverage in international news outlets.

In Gujarat, the incumbent BJP recorded a historic win with 156 seats on Thursday. The BJP’s 7^th consecutive Assembly election win is also the party’s biggest since the state was created in 1960. The Straits Times of Singapore, the Nikkei Asia, ABC News, Al Jazeera, and the Independent were a few of the international newspapers that included images of the joyous celebrations of the BJP’s victory in Gujarat.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Prime Minister Modi gave his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a significant boost, demonstrating the party’s enduring popularity before a general election scheduled for 2024.

The popularity of PM Modi in Gujarat, according to Japan’s Nikkei Asia, is what helped the BJP win this election, noting that the party has not lost an assembly election there since 1995.

“Modi is wildly popular in the state, where he served as chief minister for nearly 13 years before becoming prime minister in 2014,” the newspaper said.

The Japanese daily said Modi held a series of campaign rallies in the state, lending his star power to the BJP’s campaign. “Many residents take pride in the fact that the Gujarat-born Modi represents India at the global level, and feel a sense of responsibility to support him,” the newspaper added.

The historic victory in Gujarat is a significant boost for the BJP before the national elections in 2024, according to the UK-based The Independent.

To all hardworking @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas I want to say – each of you is a champion! This historic win would never be possible without the exceptional hardwork of our Karyakartas, who are the real strength of our Party.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 8, 2022

Ajay Gudavarthy, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told Al Jazeera that the BJP’s easy victory in Gujarat demonstrates a stronger consolidation of the Hindu vote.

On his personal Twitter account on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to the Gujarati people for blessing development politics.

Thank you Gujarat. I am overcome with a lot of emotions seeing the phenomenal election results. People blessed politics of development and at the same time expressed a desire that they want this momentum to continue at a greater pace. I bow to Gujarat’s Jan Shakti,” PM Modi tweeted.
“To all hardworking @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas I want to say – each of you is a champion! This historic win would never be possible without the exceptional hardwork of our Karyakartas, who are the real strength of our Party,” he added.

PM Modi appreciates “champion” BJP karyakartas after historic win in Gujarat

December 8, 2022, 8:15 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to every BJP Gujarat party member as a “champion” as the organisation achieved an unprecedented victory in the state’s legislative elections on Thursday.

“To all hardworking @BJP4GujaratKaryakartas, I want to say – each of you is a champion! This historic win would never be possible without the exceptional hard work of our Karyakartas, who are the real strength of our Party,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

To all hardworking @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas I want to say – each of you is a champion! This historic win would never be possible without the exceptional hardwork of our Karyakartas, who are the real strength of our Party.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 8, 2022

PM Modi further ‘bowed’ to Gujarat’s ‘Jan Shakti’ after the election results.
“Thank you, Gujarat. I am overcome with a lot of emotions seeing the phenomenal election results. People blessed the politics of development and at the same time expressed a desire for this momentum to continue at a greater pace. I bow to Gujarat’s Jan Shakti,” he said in a subsequent tweet.

BJP to sweep Gujarat and form government for seventh consecutive term

December 8, 2022, 3:44 pm

As the BJP swept the assembly elections with an unprecedented majority, state BJP chief CR Paatil said on Thursday that the next chief minister of Gujarat would be sworn in at 2 p.m. on December 12.

The oath-taking event will include participation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Bhupendra Patel will take the oath of office as Gujarat’s chief minister for the second time. On September 12th, 2021, he won his first election as the BJP’s legislative party leader.

“Gujarat’s CM will take oath at 2 p.m. on December 12th. PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take part in the oath ceremony,” CR Paatil said while addressing a joint press conference with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel after the trends suggested BJP’s majority in the state, empowering the party to form the government for the seventh time in the state.

“Bhupendra Patel will be the chief minister again,” he confirmed.

Patel assured the public of the BJP’s dedication to public service and stated that the party humbly accepts the mandate of the people of Gujarat.

“The results of Gujarat elections are quite clear. People have made up their minds to further continue with the journey of development in Gujarat. We humbly accept the mandate of the people. Every worker of BJP is committed to public service,” the Chief Minister said.

The BJP has won 11 seats so far and is in the lead with 156 seats, according to the Election Commission’s most recent trends as of 2 p.m. If this position holds, it will be a historic victory for the party.

If the BJP is successful in winning 156 seats in the state, it will break two records: the 127 seats it won in the 2002 Assembly elections, which was the highest number ever for the party; and the 149 seats the Madhav Singh Solanki government won in the Gujarat Assembly elections in 1985, which was the highest number ever.

The exit polls had predicted that the BJP would win a commanding majority and take office for the seventh time in the state.

Beginning on Thursday at 8 a.m., the counting of ballots for the Gujarat Assembly elections has begun.

In Gujarat, the counting started at 37 centres in 33 districts.

182 counting observers, 182 election officials, and 494 assistant election officers were on duty for the counting process, according to Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. For the purpose of counting the votes, 78 additional assistant election officers will be present. In addition, 71 extra Assistant Election Officers have been given responsibility for the electronic transmission of postal ballots in the previous elections.

Gujarat held two rounds of assembly elections on December 1 and 5, respectively.

There is pro-incumbency in Gujarat: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on BJP leading in state assembly polls

December 8, 2022, 1:16 pm

Rajnath Singh, the former party president and the defence minister, claimed on Thursday that there was pro-incumbency in the coastal state despite emerging trends showing a massive lead for the BJP in the Gujarat Assembly elections despite the party having ruled the state for nearly three decades.

“There is pro-incumbency in Gujarat. We are creating a new record in Gujarat as the people of the state have immense faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Rajnath Singh told reporters here as the BJP showed a clear lead in the western state.

As the BJP demonstrated a clear advantage in the western state, Rajnath Singh told reporters there. The Bharatiya Janata Party is currently in the lead with 149 of the total 182 seats, according to trends emerging from the vote-counting that began at 8 a.m., while the Congress is well behind with only 18 seats. The median score is 92.

The third-placed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, is in the lead with five seats. On three seats, the others are also in the lead.

According to information released by the Election Commission up until 10:45 a.m., the BJP maintained its top position from the start.

Gujarat had two-phase elections on December 1 and 5. At the conclusion of the second phase, 59.11% of voters had cast ballots in Gujarat. An overall turnout of 63.14 percent was recorded in Gujarat during the first round of voting on December 1.

Along with the 68-seat Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections held on November 12, counting is also underway for six assembly byelections and one Lok Sabha byelection. The majority of exit polls in Gujarat showed a clear victory for the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister for the longest period of time before becoming the country’s leader. The BJP has ruled Gujarat for 27 years.

BJP Parliamentary Board meeting to be held at BJP Headquarter

December 8, 2022, 12:09 pm

BJP is set to rewrite history books by winning the Gujarat Assembly elections. The BJP Parliamentary Board meeting will be held at BJP headquarter at 7 pm today.

In the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, it will be decided to make Bhupendra Patel the leader of the legislative party to make him the Chief Minister again in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach BJP headquarters at 6 pm and address BJP workers.

Moreover, BJP National President JP Nadda will also reach BJP headquarter at 3 pm and the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting will be held at 7 pm at BJP Headquarters.

BJP Legislature Party meeting will be announced by sending observers to Gandhinagar on 10 or 11 December.

However, there is the possibility that Bhupendra Patel will take oath as Chief Minister on 11 or 12 December in Gandhinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself will attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Gujarat sees 58.80 pc voters turnout in second phase till 5 pm

December 5, 2022, 7:09 pm

As of 5 p.m. on Monday, 58.80% of eligible voters turned out in Gujarat’s second round of assembly elections for the state’s 93 seats.

As of 3 p.m., the state had experienced a 50.51 percent voter turnout.

Sabarkantha district had the greatest voter turnout, at 65.84 percent, while Ahmedabad had the lowest, at 53.57 percent, according to Election Commission figures.

Voter turnout in Gandhinagar was 59.14%, in Anand it was 59.04%, in Arvalli it was 60.18%, in Banaskantha it was 65.65%, in Chhotaudepur it was 62.04%, in Dahod it was 55.80%, and in Kheda it was 62.65%.

Voter participation was 61.01 percent in Mahesana, 54.26 percent in Mahisagar, 62.03 percent in Panchmahal, 57.28 percent in Patan, and 58 percent in Vadodara.

In the midst of severe security measures, voting for the 93 Assembly constituencies spread across 14 districts in north and central Gujarat began at 8 a.m. on Monday for the second and final phase of the Gujarat Assembly Elections.

The second phase of the Gujarat elections had up to 833 candidates from 61 parties. There were almost 2.51 crore eligible voters who could cast ballots.

In order to conduct the election, the Election Commission set up 26,409 polling places and utilised about 36,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). For the second round of voting, around 84,000 polling place employees and about 29,000 presiding officers were stationed at various locations.

Voter turnout at 34.74 per cent till 1 pm in second Phase of Gujarat Polls

December 5, 2022, 3:27 pm

In the second round of the Gujarat Assembly elections, as of Monday at 1 p.m., 34.74 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots.

Today’s voting began at 8 a.m. 19.17% of eligible voters cast ballots in the state up until 11 a.m. Sabarkantha had the greatest turnout, with 39.73 percent of voters casting ballots, according to the Election Commission’s most recent data.

In Mahisagar, the turnout was the lowest (29.72 percent). 36.49 percent of the vote was cast in Gandhinagar, the seat of the BJP’s senior leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

In the second round of the Gujarat elections, 833 candidates representing 61 parties are running for office. More than 2.51 crore voters will decide who wins or loses.

Nearly 36,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used, and the Election Commission has set up 26,409 polling places. In order to facilitate the polls, about 84,000 polling officers and about 29,000 presiding officers have been stationed in 14 districts.

Gujarat polls: Voter turnout at 19.17 per cent, Ahmedabad lowest with 16.95 pc

December 5, 2022, 12:56 pm

As of 11 a.m. on Monday, 19.17% of eligible voters had cast ballots in Gujarat’s ongoing second round of state assembly elections.

Today’s voting started at 8 a.m. Up until 9 a.m., the voting percentage was 4.75 percent. Following Sabarkantha (22.18 percent) and Banaskantha (22.5%), Chhotaudepur has the greatest voter participation to date, according to the most recent information provided by the Election Commission (21.03 percent).

Gandhinagar, where turnout was highest with 7.05% up until 9 a.m., recorded a turnout of 20.39% up until 11 a.m.

The lowest turnout of the 14 districts holding elections was in Ahmedabad, where prominent figures including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast their ballots early in the voting period. As of 9 a.m., only 4.20 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots in Ahmedabad.

The second-lowest turnout, 17.06%, was recorded in Mahisagar as of 11 a.m.

In the second round of the Gujarat elections, 833 candidates representing 61 parties are running for office. More than 2.51 crore voters will decide who wins or loses.

Of the total 26,409 polling stations in Gujarat, 93 are model polling booths, 93 are eco-friendly booths, another 93 are handled by Divyang, and 14 are controlled by youth, according to Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. In the second phase, webcasting will take place in 13,319 polling booths.

“A total of 2,51,58,730 voters will vote, of which, 1,29,26,501 are men, 1,22,31,335 are women, and 894 are from the third gender,” Bharathi said.
The 93 poll-bound seats in the second phase are spread across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravali, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, and Chhota Udaipur districts.

PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel, Isudan Gadhvi, Gujarat Congress President Jagdish Thakor, and cricketers Irfan Pathan, Hardik Pandya, and Krunal Pandya are among the notable figures who will vote in Gujarat’s final round.

An overall turnout of 63.14 percent was recorded in Gujarat during the first round of voting on December 1. In 89 constituencies distributed across 19 districts in the Kutch, Saurashtra, and South Gujarat regions, voting got underway at 8 a.m. On December 1, the first round of voting for 89 seats in Kutch, Saurashtra, and South Gujarat came to a close with a 63.31 percent turnout overall.

On December 8, the votes will be tallied.

Gujarat polls: Over 10 Lakh people shows up in the ‘Longest’ PM Modi’s roadshow

December 2, 2022, 1:55 pm

More than 10 lakh people attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s longest roadshow in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday.

It was the Prime Minister’s largest and longest roadshow in the nation, drawing over 10 lakh attendees. It covered about 50 kilometres and passed through as many as 14 Vidhan Sabha seats, including 13 from Ahmedabad and one from Gandhinagar. PM Modi’s massive roadshow began in Naroda Gam and ended in the Gandhinagar South constituency. PM Modi visited at least 35 memorials along the road, including those for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

From 2001 to 2014, Gujarat’s longest-serving chief minister was Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP won 99 out of a total of 182 seats in the 2017 elections in Gujarat. With Narendra Modi serving as the state’s chief minister for the longest period of time, the party has been in power for the past 27 years.

This time, the party led by PM Modi, Amit Shah, and CR Paatil hopes to win more than 140 seats, which would be a record.

The state has long been a BJP stronghold, and the party has set its sights on winning a seventh term in office.

Gujarat, a state with 182 assemblies, will hold elections in two phases on December 1 and

Gujarat Polls: Voting ends for Phase 1, 8 districts see above 50 pc voting

December 1, 2022, 5:25 pm

During the first round of voting for the Gujarat Assembly election, with a total turnout of 48.48 percent as of 3 p.m., voter turnout was getting closer to 50%.

On Thursday, voting started at 8 a.m. and lasted till 5 p.m. in 89 constituencies distributed over 19 districts in Kutch, Saurashtra, and South Gujarat. 34.65% of eligible voters had cast ballots as of 1:00 PM. Data from the Election Commission show that as of 3 p.m., Tapi had the highest voter turnout—64.27 percent—while Narmada came in second with 63.88 percent. Dangs indicated 58.55.

The much-discussed Morbi saw a turnout of 53.75%, while Jamnagar got a turnout of 42.26%.

Additionally, polling is taking place in the following districts: Amreli (44.62), Bharuch (52.45), Bhavnagar (45.91), Botad (43.67), Devbhumi Dwarka (46.55), Gir Somnath (50.89), Junagadh (46.03), Kachchh (45.45), Navsari (55.10), Porbandar (43.12), Rajkot (46.68), and Surat (17.92).

The fate of the 788 candidates who are running in the first round will be decided by the votes of 2,39,76,670 voters by today at 5 p.m.

1,24,33,362 male electorates, 1,15,42,811 female electorates, and 497 electorates of a third gender make up the total electorate. There are more than 4 lakh PWD voters who can cast ballots.

The voting age is 80 years or older for nearly 9.8 lakh senior citizens, and 100 years or older for almost 10,000 voters.

The EC reports that 4,945 voters are beyond the age of 99, and 5,745,460 voters are between the ages of 18 and 19. There are 125 men and 38 women among the 163 NRI voters.

14,382 voting locations exist, 3,311 of which are in urban areas and 11,071 in rural ones.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is running from Ghatlodia, while AAP candidate for chief minister Isudan Gadhvi is running from Khambhaliya, former Congressman Hardik Patel is running for BJP in Viramgam, and former Congressman Alpesh Thakor is running for BJP in Gandhinagar South.

Gopal Italia, the state president of the AAP, is running in the Katargam district, alongside Harsh Sanghavi, the state’s home minister for Gujarat, Rivaba Jadeja, Jamnagar North’s Rivaba Jadeja, Bhavnagar Rural’s Parshottam Solanki, Jasdan’s Kunwarji Bavaliya, Morbi’s Kantilal Amrutiya, and Jetpur’s Jayesh

Gujarat’s second round of elections would take place on December 5.

On December 8, the votes will be tallied. On the same day, the results of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections will also be announced.

Gujarat polls: Congress MLA carries ‘gas cylinder’ on his bicycle to cast vote

December 1, 2022, 12:38 pm

In a bizarre incident, Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani while casting his vote for ongoing Assembly elections in Gujarat carried a ‘gas cylinder’ with him on a bicycle he was riding.
According to the MLA, his intention behind this act was to underline the issues of high fuel prices, inflation and joblessness.
Paresh Dhanani charged the Bhartiya Janata Party for making Gujarat a slave of selfishness and fear.
He said, “The BJP conspired to turn Gujarat into a slave between the walls of selfishness and fear. Because of the government’s failure, inflation and unemployment are regularly increasing. A gas cylinder costs over Rs 1100, electricity is expensive, the price of transportation has skyrocketed, education is being privatised, government schools are shut, more than 3.5 lakh people lost their lives to Corona. I believe there is extreme distress due to the BJP’s failure.”
“My vote will open the doors of new opportunities for the youth with a new government. There will be a transition of power and Congres will come,” he added.
Tight security measures are in place as voting for the Gujarat Assembly election’s first round begins.
In 89 constituencies distributed across 19 districts in Kutch, Saurashtra, and South Gujarat, voting is taking place.
The fate of the 788 candidates who are in the running for the first phase will be decided by the votes cast by a total of 2,39,76,670 voters by today at 5 p.m.

1,24,33,362 male electorates, 1,15,42,811 female electorates, and 497 electorates of a third gender make up the total electorates. There are more over 4 lakh PWD voters who can cast ballots.
The voting age is 80 years or older for almost 9.8 lakh elderly citizens, and 100 years or more for around 10,000 voters.

Gujarat Polls: PM Modi to hold 50 km long roadshow in Ahmedabad ahead of second Phase of Voting

December 1, 2022, 11:59 am

After a two-day hiatus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to the Gujarat campaign trail for the second round of the state assembly elections with a three-hour mega roadshow covering 16 assembly districts.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims that this massive event will span a distance of more than 50 kilometres, beginning at the Naroda Gam and terminating at the Gandhinagar South constituency. PM Modi is slated to make at least 35 stops at the memorials of notable individuals, including Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, during his roadshow, which is anticipated to start at 3:30 pm and last until 6:30 pm on Thursday.

The Prime Minister’s campaign tour is anticipated to pass through 16 assembly districts that vote in the second round of the Gujarat election on December 5.

Some of the constituencies the prime minister will visit during his roadshow are Thakkarbapanagar, Bapunagar, Nikol, Amraiwadi, Maninagar, Danilimbda, Jamalpur Khadia, Elisbridge, Vejalpur, Ghatlodia, Naranpur, and Sabarmati.

Bhupendra Patel, the BJP candidate for chief minister, is running from the Ghatlodia seat.

It’s interesting to note that voting for the first phase of the Gujarat election is taking place while the prime minister canvasses for the second phase.

From 2001 to 2014, Gujarat’s longest-serving chief minister was Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This time, the party led by PM Modi, Amit Shah, and CR Paatil hopes to win more than 140 seats, which would be a record.

The state has long been a BJP stronghold, and the party has set its sights on winning a seventh term in office.

Gujarat, a state with 182 assemblies, will hold elections in two phases on December 1 and 5.

Ahead of Gujarat polls, Cong President’s dig on PM Modi : Do you’ve 100 heads like Ravan?

November 29, 2022, 6:34 pm

Following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “Ravan” statement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a new political dispute has arisen. The veteran Congress leader made the comments on Monday in Ahmedabad, just days before the crucial Gujarat assembly elections.

During the rally, Kharge said that Modi keeps aside his duties and work as the prime minister, and keeps campaigning in “corporation, MLA, MP elections”.

“In all these campaigns, he (Modi) only talks about himself. ‘Don’t look at anyone else, just look at Modi and vote’. How many times do we have to see your face? How many forms do you have? Do you have 100 heads like Ravan?” Kharge said amidst laughter and cheers from the audience.

On Twitter, the grand old party posted a video of the incident.

Bhupendra Patel, the chief minister of Gujarat, took issue with the remarks made by the Congress leader.

Taking to Twitter, he said that “bereft to any development agenda and support from the people” of the state, Congress is “out to abuse Gujarat and Gujaratis”.

“The statement made by Kharge ji against PM Narendra Modi ji is testimony to their hate for Gujaratis. People of Gujarat will reject them this time too for such behaviour,” Patel tweeted.

Amit Malviya, the IT cell head of the BJP also fired back at Kharge saying that he lost “control over his words” owing to not being able to “take the heat of Gujarat election”.

“Unable to take the heat of Gujarat election, pushed to the fringe, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge loses control over his words, calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘Ravan’. From ‘Maut ka Saudagar’ to ‘Ravan’, Congress continues to insult Gujarat and it’s son…,” Malviya’s tweet read.

The “maut ka saudagar (merchant of death)” phrase was referred to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s comment over the 2002 riots during the 2007 Gujarat assembly elections, in which she had targeted Modi – who was then the chief minister of the western state.

Sambit Patra, the national spokesperson for the BJP, echoed Malviya when he claimed that in addition to insulting the son of Gujarat, Kharge’s remark had also deeply hurt every Gujarati.

“It is an appeal to all Gujaratis that the party whose president has insulted Modi should be taught a lesson. Gujaratis should come out of their homes in a democratic way and take revenge by voting against Congress,” he said during a press conference earlier in the day in Delhi.

Gujarat, which is governed by the BJP, will vote on December 1 and December 5 in two phases. On December 8, the results will be declared and the votes will be counted. The Congress party is seeking to win back support in Gujarat in the upcoming assembly elections. The state has been viewed as a BJP stronghold for more than two decades.

Gujrat Polls: BJP excommunicates 12 additional rebels for running as independent candidates

November 23, 2022, 10:06 am

Twelve rebels who filed their nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections after being denied tickets by the ruling party have been suspended in disciplinary action by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The twelve rebels were seeking seats in the Assembly.

After the party suspended seven rebels on Sunday, this is the second list of rebels who have been placed on administrative leave.

“These MLAs have been suspended for six years for having indulged in antiparty activities,” a BJP communication reveals, quoting state president C.R. Paatil.

Dinubhai Patel from Padra, Madhubhai Shrivastav from Vaghodia, and Kuldeep Sinh Raul, all of whom are from the Vadodara district, are among the BJP leaders who have been suspended.

Ram Sinh Thakor from Mehsana, Dhawal Sinh Jhala from Aravalli, and B Pagi from Shahera in the Panchmahal district have also been suspended.

From the districts of Anand, Banaskantha, and Mahisagar, two people have each been suspended. Banaskantha residents Manavjibhai Desai and L Thakor, Mahisagar residents SM Baant and JP Patel, and Anand district residents Ramesh Jhala and Amarshi Bhai Jhala have all been suspended.

42 current MLAs have been rejected tickets by the BJP, which is running for reelection in Gujarat for a seventh term.

The party eliminated 38 existing MLAs after announcing its sizable initial batch of 160 candidates. Three further lists of candidates for the remaining Assembly seats were later unveiled by the ruling party.

Former chief minister Vijay Rupani, former deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, and party leader Patil were among the prominent members of the party who had expressed a desire not to run in the upcoming elections.

The BJP was stopped at 99 seats out of a total of 182 seats in the 2017 elections in Gujarat. With Narendra Modi serving as the state’s chief minister for the longest period of time, the party has been in power for the past 27 years.

This election, the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and CR Paatil hopes to secure more than 140 seats.

The state has historically been a BJP stronghold, and the party has set its sights on winning a seventh term in office. From 2001 to 2014, PM Modi served as Gujarat’s chief minister for the longest period of time.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has chosen Isudan Gadhvi as its candidate for chief minister, will, however, present a formidable electoral challenge to it.

In order to overthrow the BJP government, the Congress also intends to put its best electoral foot forward.

Gujarat, which has 182 assembly constituencies, will hold two rounds of voting on December 1 and 5. On December 8, which is also the day of the announcement of the results for Himachal Pradesh, the votes will be counted.

BJP strategies Caste considerations to win in Congress’ Somnath stronghold

November 22, 2022, 2:55 pm

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Gir Somnath, Mansingh Parmar, has exuded confidence in winning all four seats in the constituency, which the party had lost to Congress in the 2017 elections.

In the Gir Somnath district of Gujarat or Saurashtra, caste has historically played a significant role in politics, which is one of the theories as to why Congress is said to have won all four of these constituencies in the 2017 Assembly elections.

With an aim to counter this factor, this time around, the BJP has given tickets to candidates on a caste basis, targeting all castes. Speaking to the media on Monday, Parmar said, “We have faith in our party workers. We will win in Somnath. The party had not kept the community factor in mind the last time, which is why we lost here. But this time, this factor has been taken care of. The party has given tickets to the right candidate.”

Parmar, a member of the Rajput community, responded that the party will succeed in the district if it unites all the communities spread across the constituencies when asked about the predominance of caste in the area.

“It is not that the community factor has been dominant. There are mostly OBCs in Somnath. People from every community live here. So they feel that there should be representation from their community. There are four assembly constituencies in Gir Somnath: Karadiya Rajput, Ahir, OBC, and Koli. If we take all of them together, we will win,” he said.

Parmar stated that “AAP’s freebies would not work” in Gujarat when referring to the Aam Aadmi Party, which is also running and is hoping to gain ground in the state.

“AAP has come this time. Last time, other parties had also come. Various parties keep coming, but it does not have any impact. AAP’s freebie would not work here. This is the people of Gujarat who have seen the development done in the past 30 years,” he said.

“All four seats will be in the BJP’s bag.” “We are confident,” he added.

The Patidar factor also had an impact the last time because this factor is dominant in the Una and Talala constituencies. There are nearly 2,62,000 voters in Somnath,” he said.

In the 1990s, BJP veteran LK Advani led the Rath Yatra through Somnath. Somnath was crucial in helping the BJP form Gujarat’s government. On the other side, in Somnath, the BJP took three of the four assembly seats in 2007.

In Somnath, the BJP’s graph started steadily declining. The BJP only succeeded in winning one of the four seats in the 2012 elections. The Congress won all four seats in Somnath in 2017, while the BJP lost all four.

Elections for the Assembly will take place on December 1 and 5, and the results will be tallied on December 8.

PM Modi Visits Somnath Temple

November 20, 2022, 12:19 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Somnath temple to offer prayers on Sunday.

The weekend-long visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to poll-bound Gujarat is slated to include at least eight events spread out across the state from Saurashtra to Surat.

The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Somnath Trust.

The PM is slated to speak at four rallies in the Saurashtra region after touring the Somnath Temple. Veraval, Dhorarji, Amreli, and Botad have been chosen as the final venues.

Guj polls : BJP nominates first Christian candidate in 20 years

November 17, 2022, 5:52 pm

For the first time in 20 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is running a solitary Christian candidate in the next assembly election in Guajart’s Vyara. Punaji Gamit, a four-time MLA from Vyara and opponent of the BJP’s Mohan Konkani, will represent the Congress.

The 48-year-old Konkani is running for the BJP in the tribal-dominated Vyara assembly constituency in the Tapi district. He is a native of the Dolvan taluka’s Haripura village.

The Vyara assembly segment is a steadfast supporter of the Congress. Christians make up about 45% of the 2.23 lakh voters in the Vyara assembly constituency.

Since 2007, Gamit, 64, a converted Christian, has served as Congress’s representative in the Vyara legislature.

Despite being a social worker and farmer, Konkani has been a committed BJP supporter since 1995.

He is currently the chairman of the Tapi district panchayat after running against Mavji Chaudhary, a leader in the cooperative Congress, in the 2015 election.

Mohan Konkani expressed his gratitude to the BJP’s leadership, saying, “I am indebted to the party’s high command and the BJP for their trust and faith in me. On December 1 (polling date), I will make history in Vyara, and I am certain of it. The political atmosphere in Vyara has improved and I can count on the support of the constituency’s 72,000 Christian voters.”

When asked about the BJP’s pro-minority stance in Vyara. A senior BJP leader said, “I can talk to any government official in the BJP regime and have my concerns addressed. The Hindutva era has ended, and now it’s “Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas.”

At least eight of the 27 tribal seats in the 182-member House are held by Christians, though Congress has long fielded just one Christian candidate as a show of deference.

Since the 2007 elections, the BJP has seen substantially less hostility among Christian tribals. Due to the immediate economic benefits they provide to the tribes’ members, cooperatives and dairy schemes—both state government initiatives—are seen favourably by the tribals. The shift in sentiment in Vyara may be a sign of upcoming politics elsewhere in the state because tribals are Gujarat’s second-largest vote bloc after Odisha.

“It’s a win-win for the BJP, which has already emerged as the dominant force replacing Congress in the tribal belt of South Gujarat,” a political analyst told Hindustan Times.

Ahead of Gujarat polls, HC permits Hardik Patel to enter Mehsana

November 12, 2022, 2:20 pm

One year after the state government stated that it had no objections if the restriction was removed, the Gujarat high court on Friday granted BJP leader and candidate from Viramgam constituency Hardik Patel permission to enter the Mehsana district for the purpose of campaigning in the upcoming state elections.

The court gave him relief for a year after noting that he works as a social worker, is a BJP member, and intends to run in the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections.

“In view of such a position, the applicant needs to travel frequently in various parts of Gujarat including Mehsana district for campaigning and fulfilling the political obligation cast upon him,” the court said in its two-page order on Friday. HT has seen a copy of the order.

The court, presided over by Justice S. H. Vora, allowed the bail requirement to be relaxed for a year, or until November 7, 2023.

After the Gujarat High Court’s decision, Congress criticised the BJP, claiming that the BJP’s hypocrisy had been revealed.

Notably, though his sentence has been suspended by the Gujarat High Court, his conviction has not been overturned.

The court decision prohibiting him from visiting the Mehsana district and running in the 2019 general elections followed his conviction. The Supreme Court also overturned his conviction on April 12.

Patel has also filed a pending application with the high court requesting that this condition be permanently removed. In January 2023, the petition will be considered.

Patel, a Patidar leader from Gujarat who joined the Congress in 2019, left the organisation in June as its working president to join the BJP government.

Congress MLA Rathwa quits party, joins BJP ahead of Gujarat polls

November 9, 2022, 12:51 pm

In advance of the state Assembly elections in Gujarat, Congress MLA Mohan Rathwa on Tuesday defected from the grand old party and joined the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Except for the 2002 election, when the BJP won 127 seats under the direction of then-chief minister Narendra Modi, Rathwa, 78, has served as a legislator for around 55 years and has never lost an election.

Rathwa informed Jagdish Thakor, the leader of the Gujarat Congress, of his decision to quit in a letter.

Speaking to the reporters at the BJP office in Ahmedabad, Rathwa claimed he had no issue with any Congress members and had joined the party because of the work it has done for the state’s tribal community.

Rathwa has eleven times run for a tribally reserved seat in the Chhota Udaipur (Scheduled Tribes, or ST) district.

Of the 27 seats set up for ST candidates, Congress took 15 of them in 2017. Nine seats were won by the BJP, two by the Bharatiya Tribal Party, and one by an independent candidate.

Making his stand clear, Rathwa said he is not interested in contesting elections from any party.

“I have no issues with anyone. The talks that I have been denied a ticket by Congress and hence I quit the party are not true. I have joined BJP with my two sons and supporters as I want my next generation to work for people’s development,” he said.

He said that he was impressed by the work done by the Modi-led Central government in tribal areas of the state and the country. “…That is the reason why I have decided to join BJP,” he said in a statement to the media.

On whether the BJP would give his son a ticket to contest the election, the MLA said he is “100%” sure, according to news agency PTI.

Elections in Gujarat are set for December 1 and December 5, with counting taking place on December 8.

Ahead of Gujarat elections, BJP to start huge feedback campaign ‘Agrasar Gujarat’

November 8, 2022, 2:57 pm

Next month, when the state goes to the polls in two phases, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a campaign called Agrasar Gujarat that will cover all 182 assembly constituencies in order to get feedback from more than 10 million people on what they believe should be done to further develop the state. After the election is over by November 15th, it will release its vision statement for the state.

Prior to the elections on December 1 and 5, the BJP will also choose central ministers to connect with voters around the state and solicit their opinions on new policies and solutions to current problems.

“Senior leaders including members of the state unit will travel to all constituencies, make door-to-door stopovers to interact with people…organise specific meetings for different groups such as professionals, artists, farmers, women, and the youth,” the functionary said.

On the party’s website, through suggestion boxes that will be placed up throughout all the constituencies, and through missed calls to the number 7878182182, voters will be able to offer suggestions.

“The party will connect with the beneficiaries of the state and central schemes including those who have been working and living in the state but are from other states,” the functionary said.

For Union ministers to visit the state and engage with voters, a schedule was being created. In Surat, Union Minister Piyush Goyal will speak with working professionals, and Mahender Nath Pandey will connect with street vendors and factory workers.

Tejasvi Surya, who heads BJP’s youth wing, will interact with first-time voters. “Senior ministers Anurag Singh Thakur, Smriti Irani, Giriraj Singh, and Vijay Rupala will also be travelling to various parts of the state as part of the outreach,” the functionary said.

‘Morbi collapse shamed fair name of Gujarat’, Chidambaram attacks BJP

November 8, 2022, 1:39 pm

P Chidambaram, a Congress leader, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday for the bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat, last week that claimed over 130 lives and pointed out that no one from the administration had truly offered an apology to the general public.

“… most shocking development is that no one, on behalf of government, has apologised for the tragedy,” he said.

No one has resigned taking responsibility. Morbi bridge collapse has brought shame to the fair name of Gujarat,” he said, taking on the BJP in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state, where an election is due next month.

According to reports, 135 people perished when Morbi’s Hanging Bridge, a popular tourist site that suspended a walkway over the Machchu River, collapsed.

According to preliminary investigations, the bridge collapsed due to crowds and was improperly cleared before being reopened following refurbishment work by Oreva, a private company that makes wall clocks and e-bikes.

A senior official said (on condition of anonymity) some procedural lapses had been uncovered in the agreement between the firm and Morbi civic authorities.

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, which are attempting to unseat the BJP in the upcoming Assembly election, led the case against the Gujarat administration for failing to act promptly and strongly enough after the accident.

On Monday another Congress leader – Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot – said the tragedy had ‘exposed the misgovernance of the BJP’s 27-year rule…’

The Gujarat High Court has asked for a report from the state government and has also issued a notice to officials to file a status report by November 14.

The matter will be heard again on that date.

Amit Shah to hold BJP core committee meeting in Delhi

November 8, 2022, 1:19 pm

Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair an important meeting of Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party core committee members on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, to attend the meeting all the leaders of the Gujarat BJP core committee have reached Delhi. The meeting will be held at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Earlier on Monday at the residence of Amit Shah meeting was held with state BJP President CR Patil and Gujarat Chief Minister.

For the upcoming polls on Wednesday the BJP will hold a meeting of its Central Election Committee to finalize the first list of candidates.

Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Sha, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state president CR Patil and other members will be present in the meeting.

“An initial round of the meeting has taken place at the state headquarters in Gandhinagar over three days during which a shortlist of candidates has already been prepared which will be brought in for consideration and finalization to the CEC,” a source said.

According to the sources, “Ahead of the meeting of the CEC, the BJP Gujarat core group will also have a separate meeting with JP Nadda and Amit Shah.”

“Since all the central and state leadership may be present during this meeting, it is also likely that a separate discussion will take place with the top brass on planning the campaigning for the upcoming polls, especially with PM Narendra Modi has instructed them to target the highest poll numbers ever,” another source said.

Earlier on 3 November, the election dates were announced by the election commission of India.

Moreover, Gujarat assembly elections will take place in two phases on 1 December and 5 December.

However, BJP is seeking its sixth term in office and is its bastion for decades.

Ahead of Gujarat polls, Kejriwal asks ‘who takes Congress seriously?’

November 5, 2022, 4:46 pm

Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, claimed that the Congress will win less than five seats in Gujarat on Saturday. The AAP leader criticised his rival’s chances ahead of next month’s elections and questioned “who takes the Congress seriously” while speaking at a media conference organised by India Today in the national capital.

The people of Gujarat need change. If people did not want change, we would not have got any space. We are getting a 30 per cent vote share. We formed a government in Punjab. There is something different in Gujarat as well,” he said.

“In Gujarat, Congress will win less than 5 seats. We are number two,” Kejriwal said, handing over – quite dramatically – a scrap of paper with that prediction.

At an NDTV event, he made a similarly spectacular appearance but refused to forecast the outcome in favour of the BJP. The final forecasts will be made on a different day.

Pre-election polling conducted earlier today by ABP News – C-Voter gave the incumbent BJP a victory in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state.

Over half the nearly 23,000 respondents said they planned to vote for the BJP. Twenty per cent favoured the AAP and 17 per cent the Congress.

The idea that the AAP might unseat the Congress as the main opposition party in a state where BJP and Congress contest elections regularly has drawn criticism.

Isudan Gadhvi, a former TV news anchor and social activist, was chosen as Kejriwal’s party’s chief ministerial candidate on Friday following a public “poll” akin to the one that selected Bhagwant Mann as the CM candidate in Punjab.

Gujarat will have two rounds of voting, on December 1 and December 5. On December 8, results from Himachal Pradesh, which is also governed by the BJP, will be made public.

BJP leader Jay Narayan Vyas leaves party, keeps options open

November 5, 2022, 4:07 pm

Gujarat BJP veteran and four-time MLA Jay Narayan Vyas has resigned from the party but hasn’t ruled out joining the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

I was fed up with the BJP and so have I resigned from the party. I have kept all my options open. I will contest the upcoming Gujarat elections from Siddhpur constituency,” Vyas, a former health minister, told HT on Saturday.

He explained why he was leaving the party in his resignation letter by citing personal factors.

Vyas has been in talks with senior party figures about receiving a ticket to run from Siddhpur, according to a senior Congress leader who did not want to be identified.

He said that many surveys have shown that he still remains the most popular candidate for the Sidhpur seat. Vyas has contested seven times from here, winning four times. He could not retain the seat in 2017 and lost to the Congress’ siting MLA Chandaji Thakor.

After defeating Balvantsinh Rajput of the Congress in the 2007 election for the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, he was appointed as Cabinet minister in responsibility of health and family welfare in the state’s administration under chief minister Narendra Modi.

Discussions with Vyas have reportedly taken place, and an AAP official who wished to remain unnamed expressed optimism that he would join the party.

Expert in water management, Vyas served as chairman of the corporation in charge of implementing the Sardar Sarovar Dam project in the past.

Kejriwal asks Gujarat: Who should be CM candidate?

October 29, 2022, 1:45 pm

Arvind Kejriwal is now asking Gujarat: “Who should be the chief minister candidate,” following Punjab, where state elections were held earlier this year. A survey was done by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, and Bhagwant Mann came out on top. Mann was appointed chief minister after the party later won with a significant majority.

Who should be the next Gujarat chief minister? Asked the Aam Aadmi Party leader during a press conference on Saturday morning.

Hitting out at the rival party ruling in Gujarat, he said: “The BJP has no plan for next five years. Inflation is a big issue, across the country, even in Gujarat. When they changed the CM a year back, and removed Vijay Rupani to bring Bhupendra Patel, they did not ask people. We don’t do that. The AAP seeks public view. Now, we have feelers have that the AAP is set to come to power here.”

Kejriwal announced the number 6357000360 to register an opinion. Until November 3, users can send voice messages, WhatsApp messages, and SMSes to this number. On November 4, the results would be made public. Additionally, he provided an email address where comments could be received.

Amid numerous issues and political impasses with the BJP, which has ruled Gujarat for nearly 27 years, Arvind Kejriwal’s most recent campaign for the Gujarat elections is taking place. The Delhi Chief Minister’s remarks regarding the inclusion of images of the Hindu deities Lakshmi and Ganesha on banknotes are the most recent. After writing to the prime minister about it on Friday, he claimed that his remarks had been misconstrued on Saturday.

Ahead of Gujarat polls, PM Modi on two-day Gujarat visit from today

September 29, 2022, 11:47 am

On his two-day visit to his native Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch and lay the foundation stones for initiatives worth about $29,000 crore in Surat, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, and Ambaji. On Thursday, he will also be present at the 36th National Games’ opening ceremony.

He will inaugurate the first phase of a metro rail project in Ahmedabad. He will lay the foundation stones for and dedicate more than 3,400 crore worth of projects in Surat, including those for the city’s biodiversity park, Diamond Research and Mercantile City, and water supply. Additionally, Khoj Museum in Surat’s Science Center will be inaugurated by Modi.

He will dedicate the World’s First CNG Terminal in Bhavnagar, which will be built at a cost of more than Rs. 4,000 crore.

On Friday, Modi will inaugurate the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express in Gandhinagar. He will also attend the Navratri festivities in Ahmedabad. He will board the train at Ahmedabad’s Kalupur Railway Station.

Elections in Gujarat are scheduled for this year. With a focus on health and education, the Aam Aadmi Party has been attempting to gain ground in the state.