Many Yogi ministers likely to camp in poll-bound Gujarat
LUCKNOW : The Uttar Pradesh units of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will deploy their cadres in big numbers in next month’s Gujarat assembly elections.
The Election Commission has announced a two-phase poll on December 1 and 5 in Gujarat. The biggest contingent would be of the ruling BJP with several ministers of the Yogi 2.0 government expected to camp in Gujarat where the BJP has been in power for 27 years.
“We will win Gujarat by a big margin again. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have got the world’s most popular leader. As Gujarat CM, the model of development showcased by Modi ji has now become a template for all states to emulate. Because of him, there is always pro-incumbency in Gujarat,” said deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Several BJP leaders from the state have already been asked to camp in Gujarat. Despite winning successive elections, the BJP, in 2017, posted its worst performance in the state since 1995, winning 99 of the total 182 seats.
Gujarat is the home state of PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. The Congress got 77 seats in the 2017 Gujarat polls which were the first state polls BJP contested without Modi as the CM.
Modi who had become Gujarat CM in October 2001 had in 2014 become the country’s PM. “It’s a routine process with us. And like always, several of our cadres would camp in Gujarat,” a BJP leader said.
According to some leaders, at least three to four ministers of the Yogi 2.0 government could camp in Gujarat. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who has been campaigning in all elections within U.P. and outside, would also be campaigning in Gujarat, party leaders said. The Congress, whose leaders feel confident of a “good show” in Gujarat, too is expected to deploy cadres.
“The BJP’s tally in Gujarat has been dipping in each election. We have been growing there. Needless to add, we will win because by now the people of the state have seen through the BJP game,” said Congress general secretary DP Singh.
He said several party functionaries would camp in Gujarat. “The Gujarat model lies exposed. That is why people of Gujarat have been indicating their growing support for us. Despite all that was done to stop us, we got 59 seats in 2007, 61 in 2012 and 77 seats in 2017. The message is clear,” Singh said.
The AAP, whose top leaders have already started campaigning in Gujarat, too, is eyeing its chance. “Of course, we will win. We have been growing. After repeatedly getting elected in Delhi, now we have been preferred as an alternative to the Congress and the BJP in Punjab too. In Delhi and in Punjab, we have lived up to our commitments and this is what is making the BJP nervous. Watch the results. We will win big,” AAP leader Nadeem Ashraf Jaisi said.
The SP and the BSP , which had contested 143 seats in the 2017 Gujarat polls, are expected to field their candidates this time too. However, in 2017, all their candidates had forfeited their deposits.