The BJP will never implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said on Saturday, dubbing the saffron party’s poll promise as “fake”.The reaction of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party came after the ruling BJP released its manifesto for the Gujarat polls, promising the implementation of a UCC in the state if it retains power.“The BJP has ruled Gujarat for 27 years. After remaining at the helm for more than two decades, it is still making promises,” the AAP’s co-incharge for Gujarat, Raghav Chadha, told reporters.“If it was indeed their intent, they would have implemented it much ago,” Chadha said, asking, “Why didn’t they implement it?” “It is a fake promise. The BJP will never implement it (UCC),” he added. On October 29, the Gujarat government announced that it would form a committee for the implementation of a UCC. Other BJP-ruled states, such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, have also promised to implement a UCC. Chadha said neither the BJP nor the Congress is talking about the real issues in the run-up to the Gujarat polls. The AAP is the only party that has come up with a “model for the economic uplift” of the people of Gujarat, he said.
Days after the Gujarat government announced that it would form a committee for the implementation of UCC, the BJP on Saturday released its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls, which promises to “ensure complete implementation of the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code committee’s recommendations”, among others.The party has also promised to launch a ‘Gujarat Olympics Mission’ for hosting the Olympic Games in the state in 2036, provide 20 lakh jobs, keep a tab on the Waqf Board and madrasas, and said it will roll out “Pashu aadhaar cards” to monitor health and vaccination status of all livestock, among others.The creation of an “anti-radicalisation cell” to identify and “eliminate potential threats and sleeper cells of terrorist organisations and anti-India forces” was among the many promises made by BJP president J P Nadda while unveiling the manifesto in Gandhinagar on Saturday.The party promised to set up a task force to “scrutinisse assets and finances of Waqf Board and conduct surveys of madrasas with regard to their curriculum”.The BJP manifesto is testimony to the fact that the party's campaign, which began on the development plank, is taking a detour to the tried-and-tested Hindutva plank. Reflections of this were seen in the rallies addressed by several of the party's star campaigners in Gujarat in the last few days.The manifesto mentions enacting the Gujarat Recovery of Damages of Public and Private Properties Act, meant to recover damages to public and private properties by anti-social elements during riots, violent protests and unrest, etc.Elections to the 182-member Assembly will be held on December 1 and 5.
Gujarat Assembly election is an election for change, Raghav Chadha said. (File)New Delhi: The BJP will never implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said on Saturday, dubbing the saffron party's poll promise as "fake".The reaction of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the Gujarat Assembly polls, promising the implementation of a UCC in the state if it retains power."The BJP has ruled Gujarat for 27 years. After remaining at the helm for more than two decades, it is still making promises," the AAP's co-incharge for Gujarat, Raghav Chadha, told reporters here when asked for his party's view on the BJP's poll promise of implementing a UCC in the state."If it was indeed their intent, they would have implemented it much ago," Raghav Chadha said, asking, "Why didn't they implement it?" "It is a fake promise. The BJP will never implement it (UCC)," he added.On October 29, the Gujarat government announced that it would form a committee for the implementation of a UCC. Other BJP-ruled states, such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, have also promised to implement a UCC.Mr Chadha said neither the BJP nor the Congress is talking about the real issues in the run-up to the Gujarat polls.The AAP is the only party that has come up with a "model for the economic uplift" of the people of Gujarat, he said, asserting that the party will emerge victorious in the state Assembly polls to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com"The Gujarat Assembly election is an election for change. Be it Saurashtra, north Gujarat, central Gujarat or south Gujarat -- there is a wave for change everywhere in the state and people will vote for it. And in Gujarat, a change means Arvind Kejriwal," the AAP leader said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayHow To Track FIFA World Cup
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has promised to implement Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Committee's recommendations and create an anti-radicalisation cell in the state if re-elected to power in the upcoming assembly elections. The promises are a part of the ruling party's manifesto released on Saturday in Gandhinagar. The party manifesto, which made at least 40 promises, was released by Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP national president JP Nadda and state party president CR Paatil. The Gujarat assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and December 5. Voting for 89 assembly seats will take place in the first phase, while for the remaining 93 assembly seats, voting will be held in the second phase of polling. Read AlsoCongress moves EC, alleges BJP using kids in Gujarat ralliesNEW DELHI: Congress on Friday petitioned the Election Commission accusing BJP and PM Modi of using children in the election campaign in Gujarat. The allegation pertains to a video shared by Modi, in which a small girl seated with him speaks in Gujarati about the BJP's governance under PM Modi. Implementation of the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Committee's recommendation"We will ensure the complete implementation of the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Committee's recommendation and create more than one lakh government jobs for women in the next five years," Nadda said on the release of the manifesto. The BJP, which has been in power in the state for more than two decades, in its manifesto promised the complete implementation of the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Committee's recommendation and the formation of an anti-radicalisation cell to identify and eliminate potential threats and sleeper cells of the terrorist organisations and anti-India forces. Free-of-cost education to girlsBJP promised free-of-cost, and quality education to all the female students here from Kindergarten to Post Graduation and added that it will provide free two-wheelers to the meritorious college-going female students. It further added free bus travel to women senior citizens and promised to provide one lakh government jobs to the women for the next five years. In the electoral manifesto released today, the BJP promised to convert 20,000 government schools into Schools of Excellence in the next five years with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore. Keshavram Kashiram Shastri Higher Education Transformation Fund with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore, will also be used to construct new government colleges and revamp the existing ones, it read further adding that 20 lakh employment opportunities will also be created in the state. It, then, promised four Gujarat Institutes of Technology (GIT) like IITs as the Centres of Excellence and would emphasise the Gujarat Olympics Mission to create world-class sports infrastructure aiming to host the Olympics in 2036. Read AlsoCongress used to instigate Gujarat strife, BJP taught rioters a lesson in 2002: ShahVADODARA/AHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said while Congress incited riots to strengthen its vote bank, the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government "taught a lesson" to those perpetrators in 2002 to bring perennial peace in Gujarat. The state has not witnessed a curfew ever since, heAdvanced healthcare facilities in tribal areas For the tribals in the state, the BJP in its manifesto also promised to enable mobile delivery of ration across all the 56 Tribal Sub Plan Talukas in the state and ensured Rs 1 lakh crore under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana 2.0 for the all-round socio-economic development of tribals. The manifesto read that the Birsa Munda Adi Jati Samriddhi Corridor between Ambaji and Umergram will spur growth by connecting every tribal district's headquarters with a 4-6 lane state highway, and by constructing a tribal cultural circuit will connect Pal Dadhvaav and the Statue of Unity to Shabari Dham. The BJP also promised to provide advanced healthcare facilities in tribal areas by setting up eight medical colleges, and ten nursing/para-medical colleges. As many as eight Gujarat Industrial Development Corporations (GIDC) in the tribal belt will generate employment opportunities for tribal youth, it added. 25 Birsa Munda Gyan Shakti Residential Schools will also provide the best residential schooling facilities to 75,000 meritorious students from the tribal community. Double the cap under Ayushman Bharat On the health front, BJP promised to double the cap under Ayushman Bharat from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per family and ensure free-of-cost medical treatment. Mukhyamantri Free Diagnostic Scheme with a corpus of Rs 110 crore will also be ensured to provide free-of-cost diagnostic services for EWS households. It further added to provide Rs 10,000 crore in Maharaja Shri Bhagvatsinhji Swasthya Kosht and mentioned that three Civil Medicities, and two AIIMS-grade institutions will also be structured here. The manifesto promised to upgrade the infrastructure at Hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). Read AlsoGujarat’s bond with PM Modi has grown stronger because of his work… will help BJP win again: Amit ShahA lot of issues that BJP consistently raised since its Jana Sangh days in the 1950s, and which resonated with large sections in Gujarat, have been resolved by Narendra Modi’s government.Rs 10,000 crore under Gujarat Krishi Infrastructure Kosh BJP has also promised to provide Rs 10,000 crore under Gujarat Krishi Infrastructure Kosh to develop Khedut Mandis, modern Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC), sorting and grading units, cold chains, warehouses, primary processing centres, and will also expand the existing irrigation network through projects such as Sujalam Sufalam, SAUNI, lift irrigation projects, micro irrigation, drip irrigation. Encircling Gujarat with 4-6 lane roads/highways"We will develop the first-of-its-kind Parikrama Path of 3,000 km encircling the whole state with 4-6 lane roads/ highways by constructing a South Eastern Peripheral Highway and North Western Peripheral Highway," the manifesto added. The Gujarat Link Corridors will also be completed by augmenting the highways through the East-West Corridor connecting Dahod with Porbandar and North-South Corridor connecting Palanpur to Valsad. It will also provide seamless connectivity between economic hubs and national highways by developing the Saurashtra Express Highway Grid. The manifesto added that BJP will use the Rs 25,000 crore under the Gujarat Urban Development Mission to transform the urban landscape with a focus on decongesting the existing cities (Satellite Townships) and increasing ease of living (Riverfront, Recreational Parks, Urban Forests, Traffic Management Systems) for citizens. The BJP is also expected to complete the works of Gandhinagar and Surat Metro and will kick start the first metro rail service at Saurashtra (Rajkot) and Central Gujarat (Vadodara). Read AlsoBJP will surpass its previous best in Gujarat polls: Union home minister ShahAHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win the coming Gujarat elections by a record margin, surpassing its previous best performances - both in terms of seats and vote share. "We shall break all our past records and and return to office once again with a thumpingEstablishing India's biggest spiritual centreThe party promised to work at Devbhumi Dwarka Corridor to establish it as western India's biggest spiritual centre, comprising of the World's tallest Shree Krishna statue. It will also invest Rs 1,000 crore to renovate, expand and promote temples, following the successful transformation model of Somnath, Ambaji and Pavagadh. It will also spend Rs 2,500 crore to promote Gujarat's culture at the national and international levels by building museums, centres for performing arts, and Sardar Patel Bhawan. Other promises With the additional budget of Rs 500 crore, the party has also included strengthening of the existing Gaushalas and setting up 1,000 additional Mobile Veterinary Units. It also promised to build seafood parks in South Gujarat and Saurashtra, build the country's first Blue Economy Industrial Corridor and strengthen the fishing-related infrastructures. BJP has promised Shramik Credit Cards for the labourers that would help them with collateral-free loans up to Rs 2 lakh. It added that the OBC/ST/SC/EWS students who get into a National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) top-ranking institution in India ot any top-ranking world institution for higher education will be given a one-time incentive grant of Rs 50,000. It has also put forth that Gujarat can become a USD 1 trillion economy by focusing more on services and investing in human and institutional capacity-building for new-age industries. The party will also attract foreign investment of Rs 5 lakh crore and make the state the Defence and Aviation Manufacturing Hub of India. With agency inputs
Gujarat Election 2022: BJP president JP Nadda today released the party's election manifesto.Gandhinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP today released its manifesto for next month's Gujarat Assembly elections, in which it promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state if the party retained power.In the manifesto, which was released here by BJP president JP Nadda, the party also promised free education to girls from KG to PG (kindergarten to post-graduation).PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comIt also assured that the amount of medical insurance coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme would be doubled from Rs five lakh to Rs 10 lakh. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayRapid Fire With The Cast Of Bhediya
THE BJP committed to bring Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country but only after following all democratic processes and discussions on it, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.Speaking at the Times Now Summit on ‘India: A vibrant democracy, global bright spot’, Shah said the UCC has been a promise of the BJP since its Bhartiya Jan Sangh days. “Not only the BJP, the Constituent Assembly had also advised Parliament and states that UCC should come in the country at an opportune time. For any secular country, laws should not be on the basis of religion. If a nation and states are secular, how can laws be based on religion? For every believer, there should be one law passed by Parliament or the state assemblies,” he said.He said that the commitment of the Constituent Assembly was forgotten over a period of time. “Except the BJP, no other party is in favour of the UCC. They did not even speak on it. If they don’t have courage, they won’t oppose it. But they won’t say that, OK you implement it we are with you. We are a part of a democracy. In a democracy, healthy debate is a necessity. There is a need for open and healthy debate on the issue,” he said.Shah said in three BJP-ruled states – Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh – panels under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge and High Court chief justices have been formed, where all groups and people of different faiths are putting forth their views. “We will take any action on the basis of advice coming after this exercise. The BJP is committed to bring UCC but only after the conclusion of all democratic discussions,” he said.On abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said, “This is not a personal achievement. I am a member of the Cabinet and the achievement is of the Modi Cabinet and the government. But yes, in Jammu and Kashmir, the Modi government has brought in a drastic change.”“It used to be said that Jammu and Kashmir is with India due to Article 370. Many security pundits used to say that do not touch 370, it will burn your hand. Now, Article 370 is gone and Jammu and Kashmir is prosperous and it has also helped in getting terrorism controlled in the country,” he said.“A new democratic generation is coming up in Jammu and Kashmir where over 30,000 panches and sarpanches are percolating the democracy to grassroots,” he said.Shah also said Rs 56,000 crore of investment had come into Jammu and Kashmir and a record 80 lakh tourists, the highest since Independence, visited the Union Territory since 2019. “As far as terrorism is concerned, since 1990s when it started, there are lowest incidents of terrorism now. Stone pelting has completely stopped. It is zero. It is a very big development of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government,” he said.When asked about the issue of the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley, Shah said it is a relative question and the targeting of civilians and Hindus has drastically come down in the Valley. “We have targeted the roots of terrorism and it will take some time to completely uproot terrorism there,” he added.Responding to a related question, Shah said the abrogation of Article 370 and the implementation of UCC cannot be compared. “If by 2024, it is possible that some states themselves might implement UCC. But if it doesn’t happen by then, in 2024, when we will return to power and then we will implement it,” he said.Shah also exuded confidence in BJP’s victory in the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assembly elections as also in the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) polls.When asked about allegations of agencies like the CBI and ED being misused ahead of elections, Shah said that the federal bodies were working freely and anyone having grievances can move courts.To a question on the need of having anti-conversion laws, Shah said wherever BJP-ruled state governments are there, such laws have been made. “In Gujarat, I can tell you in detail. We have it and we are implementing it strictly as well. It is for state legislatures to decide on it,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal will be speaking at campaign rallies on Sunday in Gujarat’s ‘diamond city’ Surat which sends 12 MLAs to the state’s 182-member Assembly.Modi will address a public meeting at Mota Varachha in Surat after a 25-km road-show from the airport to the rally venue, said the local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jagdish Patel.He is also scheduled to address three rallies at Netrang in Bharuch and in Kheda district.Kejriwal will be on a two-day tour of Surat, which for long has remained a stronghold of the BJP with the support of its textile and diamond industry and lakhs people associated with the sectors.
LUCKNOW: Addressing three rallies in poll-bound Gujarat on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath referred to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as "namoona" from Delhi who has supported terrorists and was against the Ram temple. यह जो आम आदमी पार्टी का नमूना आया है न दिल्ली से, यह तो आतंकवाद का सच्चा हितैषी है... https://t.co/6iehVBaFDR— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) 1669448912000Paying respects to Hamirji Gohil, who reportedly died while protecting the Somnath Temple from a Mughal attack, the CM said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel wanted the temple reconstructed but to “keep its Muslim vote bank happy”, Congress kept delaying the work. “That namoona (sample) from Delhi is an avowed supporter of terrorism, who suspected the valour of the Indian forces during the country’s surgical strike in Balakot and asked for proof even though Pakistan admitted to the losses on its side caused due to the attack,” the CM said of Kejriwal, whose party is contesting Gujarat assembly polls for the first time and has turned the contest triangular. “AAP was against the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and its government in Delhi abandoned people during the Covid pandemic who had to rush to UP for treatment. Those who can’t handle Delhi, what can they do in Gujarat?” the chief minister said, addressing rallies in Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar and Amraili. In an attack on former PM Jawaraharlal Nehru, Yogi said he was against the reconstruction of Somnath temple for fear of losing Muslim support and it was only because of Vallabhbhai Patel that the temple could be rebuilt. During the rally in Amreli, Yogi said that the absence of the brother and sister of Congress, referring to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, from the Gujarat campaign was proof that they had already conceded defeat. “Both Congress and AAP can’t respect people’s faith, nor can they provide security, development and prosperity to the nation and should be rejected. Corruption and supporting terrorism is in their genes. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the country is making rapid strides in development and prosperity while inclusive progress and security of the citizens have also been ensured,” he said. Under Modi’s leadership, he said, India’s prestige has shot up globally and that the country has defeated the UK, which ruled India for nearly 200 years, to become the fifth largest economy in the world. As the CM of Gujarat, Yogi Adityanath added, Modi had ensured that riots and curfews did not take place and when he became PM, he did not allow terror attacks on Indian soil. “PM Modi decided to celebrate November 26, the day of the final draft of the Constitution, as Constitution Day to make every citizen realise that they do not only have rights but also have duties towards the country,” he said. Paying tributes to BR Ambedkar, the CM said that Congress did not give him and Patel due respect whereas Modi not only got a huge statue of Patel built in Gujarat but has also developed five places associated with Ambedkar as ‘Panch teerth’. Yogi campaigns for Hardik PatelChief minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned for Patidar leader Hardik Patel in Viramgam in Gujarat on Saturday. Patel quit Congress in May this year and joined BJP soon after, which gave him a ticket for the assembly polls. The CM held a massive roadshow in Viramgam. An official who was accompanying the CM said that the rally was accompanied by chants of Yogi and Jai Shri Ram. In the middle of the roadshow, the CM stopped his entourage to allow an ambulance to pass through. Later in the day, he visited a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and garlanded it as a mark of respect.
SABARKANTHA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Saturday exuded confidence in the ruling party's returning to power in Gujarat where assembly elections are due next month. The BJP chief held a massive road show in Gujarat's Himmatnagar on Saturday. "There is trust and unconditional love for PM Modi here. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has implemented various development schemes in the state. The people here are eager to support BJP. This election appears to be one-sided, on December 1 and 5. The decision will be in favour of BJP," Nadda told ANI. "Seeing the immense public support in the road show organized today in Himmatnagar, I am clear that BJP is again getting the historic support of the public. This enthusiasm and love being expressed across the state is a reflection of all-round development and achievements made in the last two decades," he said. Earlier on Saturday, Nadda released the BJP's manifesto for Gujarat polls in Gandhinagar, in the presence of state Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP state president CR Patil. The BJP, which has been in power in the state for more than two decades, promised a free-of-cost, and quality education to all the female students here from kindergarten to post graduation and added that it will provide free two-wheelers to the meritorious college-going female students. It further added free bus travel to women senior citizens and promised to provide one lakh government jobs to the women for the next five years. For the tribals in the state, the BJP in its manifesto promised to enable mobile delivery of ration across all the 56 tribal sub plan Talukas in the state and ensured Rs 1 lakh crore under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana 2.0 for the all-round socio-economic development of tribals. The manifesto further promised to provide Rs 10,000 crore in Maharaja Shri Bhagvatsinhji Swasthya Kosht and mentioned that three Civil Medicities, and two AIIMS-grade institutions will also be structured here. The manifesto then promised to upgrade the infrastructure at Hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). The BJP has also promised to convert 20,000 government schools into Schools of Excellence in the next five years with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore. Keshavram Kashiram Shastri Higher Education Transformation Fund with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore, will also be used to construct new government colleges and revamp the existing ones, it read further adding that 20 lakh employment opportunities will also be created in the state. It, then, promised four Gujarat Institute of Technology (GIT) like IITs as the Centres of Excellence and would emphasise the Gujarat Olympics Mission to create world-class sports infrastructure aiming to host the Olympics in 2036. The party promised to develop the first-of-its-kind Parikrama Path of 3,000 km encircling the whole state with 4-6 lane roads/ highways by constructing a South Eastern Peripheral Highway and North Western Peripheral Highway, it added. The Gujarat Link Corridors will also be completed by augmenting the highways through the East-West Corridor connecting Dahod with Porbandar and North-South Corridor connecting Palanpur to Valsad. The Assembly elections in Gujarat are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and December 5, whose results will be declared on December 8, which coincides with the result date of the Himachal Pradesh polls.
Situated between Surat and Mumbai, Navsari is an ancient and historical city. It is also known as the Mecca of Parsis, who reside in this district in large numbers. Navsari has birthed numerous illustrious Parsi figures including the first Dastoor Meherjirana; Dadabhai Naoroji – the grand old man of India and Jamsetji Tata – the father of Indian industry. Navsari is one of the 182 Legislative Assembly constituencies of Gujarat state. It is a part of Navsari district. There are over 2 lakh 47 thousand voters in this constituency and it represents segments from Navsari Taluka and Gandevi Taluka. Navsari has well-developed infrastructure in all aspects- good schools or hospitals, the district has it all, although people have mixed opinion. Some appear utterly dissatisfied while others point out the change that has been brought in the past 20 years. While Talking about the development in the last 25 years, Tejal Soni says, “When we shifted from Mumbai to Navsari around 25 years ago, there were only three English medium schools but today there are more than 20. Parents do not have to worry about their children’s education. Moreover, the number of hospitals has also increased over the years. Earlier, people had to travel either to Surat or Mumbai for better treatment options but now they don’t have to go through this hassle. People of Navsari and nearby villages can avail best of facilities at the Civil Hospitals in the district”. Navsari is one of the oldest cities of Gujarat and has a rich history. Dandi village near Navsari was the focal point of the great Salt March led by Mahatma Gandhi. Due to its historical relevance, the village attracts many tourists and if the infrastructure is enhanced, the footfall can rise. Arvindbhai Soni, a local resident said, “Navsari is known for being a peaceful place. The development is quite good here. Dandi Beach where Gandhiji has done his Satyagraha is just 15 kilometres away from here. So, that should be developed further and there must be more lodging arrangements for tourists near the site.’ He further added that development has been done near the Dandi beach due to the fact that it sees a number of tourists from Surat, Vadodara and Mumbai but still more can be done. While infrastructure is less of a concern in Navsari, inflation is. A senior resident from Navsari, Yoginiben Soni said, “Inflation is quite high. Rich people have no problem spending money and poor people get the necessary benefits, it’s only the middle class which is suffering the most. Be it the prices of oil, gas or petrol, all have increased, which is making our lives difficult.’ While BJP which has been holding Navsari seat since 1990 is trying to underplay inflation, the other major parties - Congress and AAP are aggressively bringing the issue to fore. Water scarcity is another issue being pointed out by the residents. A local from the district's Vejalpur area, Bharat Gupta said, “Till date, the government has not been able to solve our water woes. Though few months back, a water treatment plant was established in our area, the water hasn’t reached our homes yet.” He further highlighted the issue of potholes on roads which is putting people’s lives at risk, especially during monsoons. He also went on to express his disappointment with government schools in the area. He said, “Several government schools have closed, and few are in very bad condition. In many, there is only one teacher who is teaching all the classes.” With such disappointment among people against the government, this time the fight is not going to be easy for BJP. In 2017, Piyushbhai Dinkerbhai Desai defeated Congress candidate Bhavnaben Anilbhai Patel by a huge margin of over 46,000 votes. He also won the Navsari seat in 2012 when he defeated Congress's A.D. Patel by over 15,000 votes. Before Desai, it was BJP’s Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel who won the Navsari seat since 1990. This time BJP has fielded a new candidate, Rakesh Desai, to carry forward its winning legacy. He will be contesting against AAP's Upesh Patel and Congress's Deepak Barot. It would be interesting to see whether Navsari voters continue to support BJP or give a chance to other political parties. The voting in Navsari will be held on December 1 in the first phase of Gujarat elections.
Being home to one of the country's most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindu - the Somnath temple, Somnath-Veraval is no stranger to large crowds. This assembly seat is a prestige battle for BJP. PM Modi, Amit Shah and senior BJP leader, LK Advani are members of the Somnath temple trust. In the 1990s, BJP veteran LK Advani took out the Rath Yatra from Somnath. In 2007, the party won three out of four assembly seats in Gir Somnath region, followed by only one in 2012, but none in 2017, despite being the state's ruling party. The Somnath-Veraval seat was won by Vimalbhai Chudasama of Congress by a margin of more than 20 thousand votes. Congress has fielded its incumbent candidate, Vimalbhai Chudasma this time too. Vimalbhai is a prominent Koli leader. The constituency has about 40 thousand Koli voters. Congress will also be banking upon the 40 thousand Muslim voters in the constituency. BJP on the other hand, has brought in a fresh face this time. It has fielded Mansingh Parmar, a young fresh face. Mansingh is from the Karadiya community, which is estimated to be about 20 thousand voters. Mansingh Parmar believes the party missed out on “community factor” last time, which is why it lost in the region. However, this time it will win for sure since the party has factored-in different castes while giving tickets. PM Modi started the Saurashtra campaign with a visit to the Somnath temple on Sunday. He went to address the rally at Sadbhavna ground near the temple. PM Modi’s rally gives an indication of what is BJP's thinking for this seat. By all indications, it is attempting to leverage the popularity of PM Modi and has gone back on its ‘son-of-the-soil’ campaign strategy which the BJP tried in the last assembly elections. However, visiting the Somnath-Veraval seat, one can’t miss the voter fatigue. There are very few posters in the city. The energy and enthusiasm that one expects from a place of such religious importance is missing. The temple city is clean with adequate infrastructure for tourists. One can spend the whole day around the temple adjoining the beach. There aren’t many local issues as such. The economy revolves around tourism. Sandeepbhai Prajapati, a tea-stall owner, credits the Somnath temple for the town's livelihood. The town is crowded with people who run fast-food joints, restaurants, and guesthouses. Thanks to tourism, anyone can find some type of employment in Somnath. However, millennials aspiring for a better lifestyle tend to look for high income jobs, which are few and far between. Kewal Morbeeya, a student of computer application, explains why the better-educated, younger generation struggles to find employment in Somnath. Kewal is currently doing his bachelors from a university in Ahmedabad. Since colleges in or around the city of Somnath are not as good, he had to migrate to Ahmedabad. He agrees that Somnath is a good place for small traders like tea-shop owners, electricians and jobs in construction, but he sees no relevant employment opportunities for a BCA graduate. Radha’s husband works as a security guard. He has received a daily wage hike of Rs 150. With this increase, his wages have increased to Rs 450 a day. She credits this to the blessings of Somnath dada. However, living with this wage is still tough and the gas and electricity bill still stings. As per Radha, both bills add up to between Rs 1700 and Rs 2000 per month. It will be difficult for BJP to woo young voters as unemployment and inflation. People do talk about these after much probing, however, not many are willing to say it on camera. Although AAP has also fielded its candidate from this seat, it is currently seen as an also-ran. People, especially the young voters are curious to know about AAP, but how much this will translate into actual votes, remains to be seen. Congress, on the other hand is relying on popularity and caste arithmetic, which appears to be in its favour. Somnath-Veraval has over 2 lakh forty-two thousand voters and the voting will be held during phase-1 on December 1.
BJP president JP Nadda released the party's election manifesto for Gujarat in Gandhinagar todayGandhinagar: Ruling BJP has promised to start an "anti-radicalisation cell" against anti-national elements in Gujarat should the party be voted back to power in the forthcoming Assembly elections. "Complete implementation" of the Uniform Civil Code and creation of 20 lakh jobs are among the other major promises made by the party in the poll-bound state.Releasing BJP's election manifesto in Gandhinagar today, JP Nadda, the party's national president, said the "anti-radicalisation cell would identify and eliminate the threats of destabilisation as well as the sleeper cells of radical groups, terrorist organisations and anti-India forces".Mr Nadda's comments bear an echo with what Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said yesterday. Addressing an election rally in Gujarat, Mr Shah said that those responsible for communal riots in Gujarat were "taught such a lesson" that the state has been peaceful for 22 years."During the Congress rule in Gujarat [before 1995], communal riots were rampant. Congress used to incite people of different communities and castes to fight against each other. Through such riots, Congress had strengthened its vote bank and did injustice to a large section of the society," Mr Shah said.Elections are scheduled to be held in Gujarat on December 1 and 5 and votes will be counted on December 8.While releasing the BJP's election manifesto, the party president said today: "A new law will come into force that will help identify those who damage private and public properties. These anti-India forces will be identified and penalised."He added: "We will ensure complete implementation of the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Committee's recommendations."Incumbent Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil were also present to release the party's election manifesto.The BJP election manifesto for Gujarat was released in Gandhinagar todayTaking a swipe at the opposition, Mr Nadda claimed: "Opposition parties making fake promises are free to do so because they're never going to come to power. So they're not even accountable, unlike the BJP."He said apart from establishing a Gujarat Institute of Technology, 20,000 government schools will be converted into Schools of Excellence and 20 lakh employment opportunities will be generated for the youth.Rs 10,000 crores for developing agricultural marketing infrastructure, Rs 25,000 crores for irrigation facilities, offering medical insurance worth Rs10 lakhs under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, developing three medicities and two state-of-the-art hospitals in the state are among the other promises made by the party in its manifesto.The manifesto also promised Shramik Credit Cards for labourers with collateral-free credit up to Rs 2 lakh.The BJP has promised to complete the Gandhinagar and Surat Metro corridors and begin work on the first Metro rail service at Saurashtra (Rajkot) and Central Gujarat (Vadodara).Mukhyamantri Free Diagnostic Scheme with a corpus of Rs 110 crores will ensure free-of-cost diagnostic services for households belonging to the economically weaker sections.For the tribals in the state, the BJP in its manifesto promised to enable mobile delivery of ration across all the 56 Tribal Sub-Plan Talukas in the state and ensured Rs 1 lakh crore under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana 2.0 for the all-round socio-economic development of tribals.The manifesto added that the Birsa Munda Adi Jati Samriddhi Corridor between Ambaji and Umergram will spur growth by connecting every tribal district headquarters with a four-six lane highway and by constructing a tribal cultural circuit that will connect Pal Dadhvaav and the Statue of Unity to Shabari Dham.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com25 Birsa Munda Gyan Shakti Residential Schools will provide the best residential schooling facilities to 75,000 meritorious students from the tribal community.On the religious front, the party has promised to work on the Devbhumi Dwarka Corridor to establish it as western India's biggest spiritual centre, comprising the World's tallest Shree Krishna statue.Featured Video Of The DayDelhi Civic Body Polls: Case Filed Against Ex-Congress MLA For Abusing Cop
The assembly election in Gujarat is likely to shape the future course of Indian politics: It is going to test the Congress’s resolve towards electoral revival, show whether the Aam Aadmi Party’s attempt to expand its footprint is yielding results and whether Brand Modi and Hindutva remain valuable electoral capital for the BJP. Of course, caste-based social engineering is all too prevalent in Gujarat. However, there are a set of factors related to emotional connections that play an important role in influencing election outcomes.The first such factor is “Brand Modi”. The image of PM Modi is synonymous with Gujarati pride. His presence as the prime minister has created a sub-nationalist assertion within the broader framework of Indian nationalism in Gujarat. This emotional thread is going to shape the election outcome more than any organisational or party-centred efforts. The image of Modi is omnipresent — in the media, in rallies, and imprinted on development initiatives promoted by the Centre. It is talked about in the tribal areas of the Dangs as well as in cosmopolitan cities including Ahmedabad and Vadodara. The narrative around Brand Modi has been contested by the Opposition, of course, but it hardly figures in the conversation or does not seem powerful enough to dent the electoral capital it has generated.A second factor is the “Hindutva aspiration” that provides an emotional basis for political connection. The BJP’s efforts to enhance Hindu pride by constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya, renovation of the Kashi-Vishwanath temple corridor, and other mega symbols of Hindutva pride have a resonance on the ground. The BJP’s ability to do cultural politics is unmatched; its impact in reshaping hearts and minds is often ignored by political analysts. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal seems to have recognised the import of this aspect, which is evident in his attempts to carve out a niche within this space by demanding that currency notes carry images of Hindu deities, Lakshmi and Ganesha. However, for cultural politics around Hindutva symbols to work, mere hyperbolic assertions are not enough; continuous and deep groundwork is needed for the claims and slogans to sound authentic.A third invisible factor is the political kinship within the cooperative movement. Politics and the cooperative movement were always connected. However, the BJP has now replaced the Congress as the dominant player in the cooperative movement, which provides cadres and influencers to political parties. The BJP rose in Gujarat by weakening the Congress’s influence among the cooperatives. As the Union minister for cooperatives, Amit Shah has been engaging with producers, the market and mandi.A fourth factor that is enabling electoral mobilisations is linked to aspirations — one related to development and the other to dhanda (business). All political parties compete to tap these aspirations but the BJP, by projecting itself as the party of government through its rhetoric on “double-engine”, has been way ahead of its rivals. The AAP is an opening for newcomers interested in a political career — most civil society activists see their political future in it. In fact, civil society actors are helping the AAP build the party organisation. The BJP and Hindutva groups too have made deep inroads among NGOs and sewabhavi groups. Interestingly, the AAP seems to be winning over Congress sympathisers. Earlier, the impression was that the rise of AAP would hurt the BJP.A strong party organisation is necessary to mobilise people around these factors. The BJP political machine is more powerful and efficient than any other. It is good at pooling resources and using all the inputs at its disposal to maximise outcomes. A good mix of seasoned organisers and mass leaders run the party election machine and the campaign. In contrast, the AAP campaign is focused on Arvind Kejriwal while the Congress campaign revolves around state leaders. The absence of Rahul Gandhi in the campaign is mentioned by Congress cadres and sympathisers. The BJP has sought to diminish the anti-incumbency sentiment by replacing a large number of sitting MLAs, including senior leaders.However, elections have a logic of their own and are prone to throw up small and big surprises. In Gujarat, what factors influence the outcome are worth watching.The writer is professor, Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad
These Gujarat politicians have been victorious not merely in elections, but also in earning the confidence of generations of voters. Himanshu Kaushik profiles leaders who have won more than three assembly polls since the state was carved out over 60 years ago. Mohansinh Rathava (10):This septuagenarian tribal strongman won his first assembly election in 1972. He represented the ST-reserved Jetpur and Chhota Udepur seats for 10 consecutive elections on Congress tickets. Earlier this month he joined the BJP. His son Rajendrasinh has received the BJP ticket for the 2022 poll. Rathava’s record of 10 assembly-election wins is unsurpassed. (Won: 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2017) Ashok Bhatt (8):Ashok Bhatt, who held key positions in successive BJP governments, won polls eight times from his citadel, Khadia in Ahmedabad’s old city. His first victory came in 1975 and he handled several portfolios through his career. In 2008, he was appointed the assembly speaker and held that post till his death in 2010. His son Bhushan lacks Bhatt’s Midas touch, losing once from Khadia. (Won: 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007) Stalwarts with 7 winsChhotu Vasava:A fiery leader of the Bhil tribal community, Vasava, 77, is looking for his eighth straight win from the Jhagadia seat in Bharuch district, which he has represented from 1990 either on a JD or BTP ticket. Vasava has been a fierce advocate of rights of tribal communities and his fief has remained unbreachable for over three decades. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Pabubha Manek:This 66-year-old Mer community strongman is perhaps the only MLA to have won the Dwarka constituency as Congress, BJP, and independent candidate. He is seeking his eighth consecutive stint from the same seat. He was disqualified in 2019 by the HC for improper election affidavit. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Amarsinh Chaudhary:Gujarat’s first adivasi CM, Chaudhary headed the state government between 1985 and 1989. He quit a government job to win his first assembly election in 1970. He represented Radhanpur, Khedbrahma, and Vyara seats. Chaudhary also led the state unit of the Congress. He died in 2004. His son Tushar has been fielded from Khedbrahma by the Congress. (Won: 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1995, 1998, 2002) Keshubhai Patel:The Patidar leader from Saurashtra won seven elections beginning 1975. His victories came on the tickets of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP, as well as on that of the Gujarat Parivartan Party which he founded in 2012. A member of the RSS since the 1940s. Patel was instrumental in the growth of the BJP in Gujarat. He was the CM twice. He succumbed to Covid complications at 92. (Won: 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2012) Vajubhai Vala:He was made the Rajkot mayor in the 1980s. He won his first assembly election in 1985 from Rajkot and never lost. He vacated the seat in 2002 to pave the way for Narendra Modi to contest his first assembly election. Vala, 75, has been a minister and the speaker. He was made Karnataka’s governor in 2014. (Won: 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Victory streak over 6 pollsMadhavsinh Solanki:He ran the KHAM (Kshatriya Harijan Adivasi Muslim) social experiment in the state. He has been the CM and a central minister. His 1985 feat of leading the Congress to win 149 of the 182 seats remains unbroken. (Won: 1962, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990) Vitthal Radadiya:He won assembly polls six times and general elections twice. He represented Dhoraji in the assembly and Porbandar in the Lok Sabha. He moved from the BJP to the RJP to the Congress and again to the BJP. He died in 2019 of cancer. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Nitin Patel:He has been winning assembly elections since 1995 and has been a sixterm MLA. He has held several positions in successive BJP governments, including the post of deputy CM under Vijay Rupani. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2017) Mangubhai Patel:Beginning 1990, the tribal leader from south Gujarat won six consecutive assembly elections. While he won five times from Navsari, he entered the assembly for the sixth time from Gandevi. Patel held several portfolios in BJP governments and was the speaker too. He is now the MP governor. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Madhu Shrivastava:He is contesting as an independent candidate this time after being denied a ticket by the BJP. He has a sizable personal following in Vadodara and the surrounding areas and has been winning since 1995. Shrivastava’s combative style often ignites controversies, but has resulted in no major setback. (Won: 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Prevailing in 5 fightsAmit Shah:Union home minister Amit Shah has been camping in Gujarat for the past several weeks to oversee the BJP’s poll campaign. Born in Mumbai in 1964, he spent his childhood in his ancestral town of Mansa. He has been elected to the assembly from Sarkhej and Naranpura. He contested his first Lok Sabha election in 2019 from the prestigious Gandhinagar constituency. (Won: 1997 bypoll, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Chimanbhai Patel:He was the CM of both Congress and Janata Dal governments in different tenures. He is credited with successfully engineering the Kokam (Koli Kanbi Musim) social experiment to ride into power. Patel won assembly elections from Sankheda and Unjha. He died in 1994. (Won: 1967, 1972, 1980, 1985, 1990) Nimaben Acharya:Barring the 1998 assembly election, Acharya has won all her fights since 1995. A Kutch native, she has been a successful candidate for both the Congress and the BJP. She and her husband switched over from the Congress to the BJP in 2007. Acharya became the first woman speaker in September last year. She has not received the BJP ticket this time. (Won: 1995, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Champions 4 timesNarendra Modi:He contested his first election in February 2002 from Rajkot-II after being sworn in as the CM in October 2001. He won 2002, 2007, and 2012 assembly polls from Maninagar. His 14-year tenure as the CM is the longest in Gujarat. In 2014, he won Varanasi and Vadodara Lok Sabha seats and became the PM. In the 2019 general election, Varanasi reelected him. (Won: 2002 bypoll, 2002, 2007 and 2012) Anandiben Patel:She is the governor of Uttar Pradesh. She has won four assembly elections from Mandal, Patan, and Ghatlodia seats. She became the state’s first woman CM after Modi became the PM. She was replaced in the face of the Patidar reservation agitation. (Won: 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012)
The AIMIM will field 14 candidates in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.New Delhi: Soon after Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a Gujarat election rally made his controversial "taught a lesson to rioters in 2002" comment, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at him, saying his 'lessons' were in fact about letting criminals walk free.While addressing a public gathering at Juhapura, the largest Muslim neighbourhood in Gujarat, the AIMIM chief said, "Amit Shah today gave a statement during a public rally that they taught a lesson to the rioters of Gujarat in 2002 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) established permanent peace in the state. I want to tell the MP of this (Ahmedabad) constituency, Amit Shah, that the lesson you taught in 2002 was that Bilkis' rapists will be freed by you. The lesson you taught was that you will free the murderers of Bilkis' three-year-old daughter. You also taught us that Ahsan Jafri can be killed."In an impassioned speech, he also referred to the Gulbarg Society massacre, and the burning down of the Best Bakery in the 2002 communal frenzy that claimed over a thousand lives."How many of your lessons should we remember, Mr Amit Shah? But remember, teaching lessons is nothing, peace is strengthened when the wronged are given justice," he said.2002 mein Kaunsa sabaq sikhaya tha @amitshah? Naroda Patiya ka sabaq? Gulberg ka sabaq? Best Bakery ka sabaq? Bilqis Bano ka sabaq? pic.twitter.com/aV3hWC2Ab4— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) November 25, 2022Taking aim at the Home Minister, Mr Owaisi said that people forget when they get power that it has never always been with anyone. "Power will never be with any one person. One day, power will be snatched from everyone. Drunk on power, the Home Minister is today saying that we taught a lesson. What lesson did you teach? You became notorious in the entire country. What lesson did you teach that there were communal riots in Delhi?" he said.Amit Shah had on Thursday said that those responsible for the communal riots in Gujarat were "taught such a lesson" that the state has been peaceful for 22 years."During the Congress rule in Gujarat (before 1995), communal riots were rampant. Congress used to incite people of different communities and castes to fight against each other. Through such riots, Congress had strengthened its vote bank and did injustice to a large section of the society," Mr Shah said in Mahudha town of Kheda district."There have been many riots in Bharuch, curfew, violence. There was no room for development in Gujarat because of the chaos. In 2002, they tried to indulge in communal violence... we taught them such a lesson, we put them in jail. It's been 22 years, we have not put a curfew even once. BJP has done the work to bring the peace to a land that saw frequent communal riots," he said.The AIMIM will field 14 candidates in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Gujarat assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.Voting for 89 assembly seats will take place in the first phase, while for the remaining 93 assembly seats, voting will be held in the second phase of polling.
AHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win the coming Gujarat elections by a record margin, surpassing its previous best performances - both in terms of seats and vote share. "We shall break all our past records and and return to office once again with a thumping majority," Shah said. In an exclusive conversation with TOI here, Shah identified PM Narendra Modi's popularity and performance of the BJP governments as the main reasons for his confidence. He said while Modi enjoys goodwill everywhere, people of Gujarat share a special bond with him and that has grown stronger because of his performance as the PM. Battle of Gujarat is between Congress and BJP, says Amit ShahRead Also‘Gujarat’s bond with Modi has grown stronger because of his work… will help BJP win again’Union home minister Amit Shah, who has been campaigning extensively in Gujarat, is confident that the performance of successive BJP governments in the state and the growing affection for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will help BJP score an easy win there. In an exclusive conversation with TOI’sThe home minister dismissed the risk of "anti-incumbency" hurting BJP, which has been in office in Gujarat for 27 years now. "Our track record speaks for itself," he said, adding "pro-incumbency" is the dominant sentiment in the state. He noted that many issues BJP has raised since its Jan Sangh days have been resolved by the Modi government. Making light of AAP's challenge, Shah said BJP's fight in the Gujarat polls was still with Congress, which despite its problems consistently held on to a sizeable vote share in the state. The home minister was confident that AAP's 'politics of freebies' would not wash with Gujarat voters.
AHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win the coming Gujarat elections by a record margin, surpassing its previous best performances - both in terms of seats and vote share. "We shall break all our past records and and return to office once again with a thumping majority," Shah said. In an exclusive conversation with TOI in Ahmedabad, Shah identified PM Narendra Modi's popularity and performance of the BJP governments as the main reasons for his confidence. He said while Modi enjoys goodwill everywhere, people in Gujarat share a special bond with him and that has grown stronger because of his performance as the PM. The home minister dismissed the risk of "anti-incumbency" hurting BJP, which has been in office in Gujarat for 27 years now. "Our track record speaks for itself," he said, adding "pro-incumbency" is the dominant sentiment in the state. He noted that many issues BJP has raised since its Jan Sangh days have been resolved by the Modi government. Making light of AAP's challenge, Shah said BJP's fight in the Gujarat polls was still with Congress, which despite its problems has consistently held on to a sizeable vote-share in the state. The home minister was confident that AAP's 'politics of freebies' would not wash with Gujarat voters.
Questioning the “repeated trips” made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Gujarat, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said he had never seen such high anti-incumbency, as seen in the poll-bound state.Addressing an election meeting in Ahmedabad, the “Prime Minister has left all work in Delhi — which is his main job — and is here in Gujarat. What is the need for him to make repeated trips. Both Prime Minister and (home minister) Amit Shah are camping in the state.”Gehlot was speaking at Dariapur in Ahmedabad where sitting MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh is contesting.“You all are seeing what they are talking about in their speeches,” he said adding that unemployment and inflation were adversely affecting people in Gujarat. “I have never seen such high anti-incumbency, as I am seeing now in Gujarat. People are opposing them. They are not going to their meetings, because they have not done any work in the last five years,” the Rajasthan CM said adding that the BJP was forced to change its entire Cabinet last year.The Rajasthan CM said the anti-incumbency wave is bigger than 2017 elections, when congress fell a few seats short of forming the government in Gujarat. “If Congress wins this election, the Centre and Modji will get a shock. They will realise that they have lost due to high inflation and they will take steps to reduce prices. The entire country will benefit,” Gehlot said.“In Gujarat, Congress MLAs win. Thereafter horse trading happens and they are taken into BJP. This never used to happen earlier. After Modiji became the prime minister, a new model has come in the country, where elected governments are made to fall— Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka. These are dangers for democracy,” he said. Gehlot pointed out how sitting MLAs have rebelled within the BJP. “They blame the Congress, but they are not able to keep their own house in order.”Gehlot also remembered those who died of hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad and the recent bridge collapse tragedy in Morbi.
Officials at the local hospital where the bodies were kept.Ahmedabad: Two paramilitary jawans forces were shot dead and two others injured in the firing by one of their colleagues near Porbandar in Gujarat, where they were stationed for election duty ahead of next month's assembly polls.The men were not on active duty when they got into a fight in the evening that escalated and shots were fired from an AK-47 rifle, it is learnt. They were part of an India Reserve Battalion (IRB) from Manipur and deputed in Gujarat besides the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), said Porbandar Collector and District Election Officer AM Sharma. It's being investigated as to what led to the clash.The two injured jawans — one shot in the stomach, the other in the leg — were taken to the Probandar general hospital from where they were being shifted to a hospital in Jamnagar, about 150 km away, for advanced treatment.The police report identified the accused as Constable S Inauchashingh, and the two men killed as jawans Thoiba Singh and Jitendra Singh. The injured are constables Chorajit and Rohikana. All of them belong to Manipur.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThey were staying inside a cyclone centre in Tukda Gosa village, about 25 km from Porbandar.Voting in the Porbandar district will be held on December 1 in the first phase, while the second phase is on December 5, and results on the 8th.
Two jawans of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were shot dead and two others injured during a clash that erupted between the personnel in Gujarat’s Porbandar district, where they were posted for election duty.The incident took place around 7 pm at a cyclone relief centre at Tukada Gosa near Nava Bandar that is currently being used as a shelter for the visiting CAPF jawans.“They had come to provide security during the upcoming elections. There was internal firing and two died while two others were injured,” A M Sharma, district collector and district election officer for Porbandar, told The Indian Express.“I am currently at the hospital where the two injured persons are being treated. They are safe,” Sharma added.The injured were brought to Bhavsinghji hospital at Porbandar. When asked about the reason behind the firing, the official said the cause was still being investigated.
NEW DELHI: Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers were killed and two others were injured after their colleague opened fire at them in Gujarat's Porbandar. Porbandar collector and district election officer, A M Sharma, said all the jawans connected to the incident belong to a CRPF battalion from Manipur. They were sent here by the Election Commission ahead of the next month's Gujarat assembly elections, he added. Voting in the Porbandar district will be held on December 1 in the first phase of the state polls. The jawans were staying inside a cyclone centre in Tukda Gosa village, about 25 km from Porbandar. The centre is being used as a shelter for the visiting CRPF jawans. "A jawan opened fire at his colleagues with his assault rifle over some unknown issue on Saturday evening. While two jawans died on the spot, two others were injured. They were shifted to a hospital in Jamnagar. One of them received a bullet injury in his stomach and the other was hit on his leg," Sharma said, adding that further investigation will be carried out by the police. (With inputs from PTI)
The assembly election in Gujarat is likely to shape the future course of Indian politics: It is going to test the Congress’s resolve towards electoral revival, show whether the Aam Aadmi Party’s attempt to expand its footprint is yielding results and whether Brand Modi and Hindutva remain valuable electoral capital for the BJP. Of course, caste-based social engineering is all too prevalent in Gujarat. However, there are a set of factors related to emotional connections that play an important role in influencing election outcomes.The first such factor is “Brand Modi”. The image of PM Modi is synonymous with Gujarati pride. His presence as the prime minister has created a sub-nationalist assertion within the broader framework of Indian nationalism in Gujarat. This emotional thread is going to shape the election outcome more than any organisational or party-centred efforts. The image of Modi is omnipresent — in the media, in rallies, and imprinted on development initiatives promoted by the Centre. It is talked about in the tribal areas of the Dangs as well as in cosmopolitan cities including Ahmedabad and Vadodara. The narrative around Brand Modi has been contested by the Opposition, of course, but it hardly figures in the conversation or does not seem powerful enough to dent the electoral capital it has generated.A second factor is the “Hindutva aspiration” that provides an emotional basis for political connection. The BJP’s efforts to enhance Hindu pride by constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya, renovation of the Kashi-Vishwanath temple corridor, and other mega symbols of Hindutva pride have a resonance on the ground. The BJP’s ability to do cultural politics is unmatched; its impact in reshaping hearts and minds is often ignored by political analysts. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal seems to have recognised the import of this aspect, which is evident in his attempts to carve out a niche within this space by demanding that currency notes carry images of Hindu deities, Lakshmi and Ganesha. However, for cultural politics around Hindutva symbols to work, mere hyperbolic assertions are not enough; continuous and deep groundwork is needed for the claims and slogans to sound authentic.A third invisible factor is the political kinship within the cooperative movement. Politics and the cooperative movement were always connected. However, the BJP has now replaced the Congress as the dominant player in the cooperative movement, which provides cadres and influencers to political parties. The BJP rose in Gujarat by weakening the Congress’s influence among the cooperatives. As the Union minister for cooperatives, Amit Shah has been engaging with producers, the market and mandi.A fourth factor that is enabling electoral mobilisations is linked to aspirations — one related to development and the other to dhanda (business). All political parties compete to tap these aspirations but the BJP, by projecting itself as the party of government through its rhetoric on “double-engine”, has been way ahead of its rivals. The AAP is an opening for newcomers interested in a political career — most civil society activists see their political future in it. In fact, civil society actors are helping the AAP build the party organisation. The BJP and Hindutva groups too have made deep inroads among NGOs and sewabhavi groups. Interestingly, the AAP seems to be winning over Congress sympathisers. Earlier, the impression was that the rise of AAP would hurt the BJP.A strong party organisation is necessary to mobilise people around these factors. The BJP political machine is more powerful and efficient than any other. It is good at pooling resources and using all the inputs at its disposal to maximise outcomes. A good mix of seasoned organisers and mass leaders run the party election machine and the campaign. In contrast, the AAP campaign is focused on Arvind Kejriwal while the Congress campaign revolves around state leaders. The absence of Rahul Gandhi in the campaign is mentioned by Congress cadres and sympathisers. The BJP has sought to diminish the anti-incumbency sentiment by replacing a large number of sitting MLAs, including senior leaders.However, elections have a logic of their own and are prone to throw up small and big surprises. In Gujarat, what factors influence the outcome are worth watching.The writer is professor, Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad
These Gujarat politicians have been victorious not merely in elections, but also in earning the confidence of generations of voters. Himanshu Kaushik profiles leaders who have won more than three assembly polls since the state was carved out over 60 years ago. Mohansinh Rathava (10):This septuagenarian tribal strongman won his first assembly election in 1972. He represented the ST-reserved Jetpur and Chhota Udepur seats for 10 consecutive elections on Congress tickets. Earlier this month he joined the BJP. His son Rajendrasinh has received the BJP ticket for the 2022 poll. Rathava’s record of 10 assembly-election wins is unsurpassed. (Won: 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2017) Ashok Bhatt (8):Ashok Bhatt, who held key positions in successive BJP governments, won polls eight times from his citadel, Khadia in Ahmedabad’s old city. His first victory came in 1975 and he handled several portfolios through his career. In 2008, he was appointed the assembly speaker and held that post till his death in 2010. His son Bhushan lacks Bhatt’s Midas touch, losing once from Khadia. (Won: 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007) Stalwarts with 7 winsChhotu Vasava:A fiery leader of the Bhil tribal community, Vasava, 77, is looking for his eighth straight win from the Jhagadia seat in Bharuch district, which he has represented from 1990 either on a JD or BTP ticket. Vasava has been a fierce advocate of rights of tribal communities and his fief has remained unbreachable for over three decades. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Pabubha Manek:This 66-year-old Mer community strongman is perhaps the only MLA to have won the Dwarka constituency as Congress, BJP, and independent candidate. He is seeking his eighth consecutive stint from the same seat. He was disqualified in 2019 by the HC for improper election affidavit. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Amarsinh Chaudhary:Gujarat’s first adivasi CM, Chaudhary headed the state government between 1985 and 1989. He quit a government job to win his first assembly election in 1970. He represented Radhanpur, Khedbrahma, and Vyara seats. Chaudhary also led the state unit of the Congress. He died in 2004. His son Tushar has been fielded from Khedbrahma by the Congress. (Won: 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1995, 1998, 2002) Keshubhai Patel:The Patidar leader from Saurashtra won seven elections beginning 1975. His victories came on the tickets of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP, as well as on that of the Gujarat Parivartan Party which he founded in 2012. A member of the RSS since the 1940s. Patel was instrumental in the growth of the BJP in Gujarat. He was the CM twice. He succumbed to Covid complications at 92. (Won: 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2012) Vajubhai Vala:He was made the Rajkot mayor in the 1980s. He won his first assembly election in 1985 from Rajkot and never lost. He vacated the seat in 2002 to pave the way for Narendra Modi to contest his first assembly election. Vala, 75, has been a minister and the speaker. He was made Karnataka’s governor in 2014. (Won: 1985, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Victory streak over 6 pollsMadhavsinh Solanki:He ran the KHAM (Kshatriya Harijan Adivasi Muslim) social experiment in the state. He has been the CM and a central minister. His 1985 feat of leading the Congress to win 149 of the 182 seats remains unbroken. (Won: 1962, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990) Vitthal Radadiya:He won assembly polls six times and general elections twice. He represented Dhoraji in the assembly and Porbandar in the Lok Sabha. He moved from the BJP to the RJP to the Congress and again to the BJP. He died in 2019 of cancer. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Nitin Patel:He has been winning assembly elections since 1995 and has been a sixterm MLA. He has held several positions in successive BJP governments, including the post of deputy CM under Vijay Rupani. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2017) Mangubhai Patel:Beginning 1990, the tribal leader from south Gujarat won six consecutive assembly elections. While he won five times from Navsari, he entered the assembly for the sixth time from Gandevi. Patel held several portfolios in BJP governments and was the speaker too. He is now the MP governor. (Won: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Madhu Shrivastava:He is contesting as an independent candidate this time after being denied a ticket by the BJP. He has a sizable personal following in Vadodara and the surrounding areas and has been winning since 1995. Shrivastava’s combative style often ignites controversies, but has resulted in no major setback. (Won: 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Prevailing in 5 fightsAmit Shah:Union home minister Amit Shah has been camping in Gujarat for the past several weeks to oversee the BJP’s poll campaign. Born in Mumbai in 1964, he spent his childhood in his ancestral town of Mansa. He has been elected to the assembly from Sarkhej and Naranpura. He contested his first Lok Sabha election in 2019 from the prestigious Gandhinagar constituency. (Won: 1997 bypoll, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012) Chimanbhai Patel:He was the CM of both Congress and Janata Dal governments in different tenures. He is credited with successfully engineering the Kokam (Koli Kanbi Musim) social experiment to ride into power. Patel won assembly elections from Sankheda and Unjha. He died in 1994. (Won: 1967, 1972, 1980, 1985, 1990) Nimaben Acharya:Barring the 1998 assembly election, Acharya has won all her fights since 1995. A Kutch native, she has been a successful candidate for both the Congress and the BJP. She and her husband switched over from the Congress to the BJP in 2007. Acharya became the first woman speaker in September last year. She has not received the BJP ticket this time. (Won: 1995, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Champions 4 timesNarendra Modi:He contested his first election in February 2002 from Rajkot-II after being sworn in as the CM in October 2001. He won 2002, 2007, and 2012 assembly polls from Maninagar. His 14-year tenure as the CM is the longest in Gujarat. In 2014, he won Varanasi and Vadodara Lok Sabha seats and became the PM. In the 2019 general election, Varanasi reelected him. (Won: 2002 bypoll, 2002, 2007 and 2012) Anandiben Patel:She is the governor of Uttar Pradesh. She has won four assembly elections from Mandal, Patan, and Ghatlodia seats. She became the state’s first woman CM after Modi became the PM. She was replaced in the face of the Patidar reservation agitation. (Won: 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012)
The AIMIM will field 14 candidates in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.New Delhi: Soon after Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a Gujarat election rally made his controversial "taught a lesson to rioters in 2002" comment, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at him, saying his 'lessons' were in fact about letting criminals walk free.While addressing a public gathering at Juhapura, the largest Muslim neighbourhood in Gujarat, the AIMIM chief said, "Amit Shah today gave a statement during a public rally that they taught a lesson to the rioters of Gujarat in 2002 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) established permanent peace in the state. I want to tell the MP of this (Ahmedabad) constituency, Amit Shah, that the lesson you taught in 2002 was that Bilkis' rapists will be freed by you. The lesson you taught was that you will free the murderers of Bilkis' three-year-old daughter. You also taught us that Ahsan Jafri can be killed."In an impassioned speech, he also referred to the Gulbarg Society massacre, and the burning down of the Best Bakery in the 2002 communal frenzy that claimed over a thousand lives."How many of your lessons should we remember, Mr Amit Shah? But remember, teaching lessons is nothing, peace is strengthened when the wronged are given justice," he said.2002 mein Kaunsa sabaq sikhaya tha @amitshah? Naroda Patiya ka sabaq? Gulberg ka sabaq? Best Bakery ka sabaq? Bilqis Bano ka sabaq? pic.twitter.com/aV3hWC2Ab4— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) November 25, 2022Taking aim at the Home Minister, Mr Owaisi said that people forget when they get power that it has never always been with anyone. "Power will never be with any one person. One day, power will be snatched from everyone. Drunk on power, the Home Minister is today saying that we taught a lesson. What lesson did you teach? You became notorious in the entire country. What lesson did you teach that there were communal riots in Delhi?" he said.Amit Shah had on Thursday said that those responsible for the communal riots in Gujarat were "taught such a lesson" that the state has been peaceful for 22 years."During the Congress rule in Gujarat (before 1995), communal riots were rampant. Congress used to incite people of different communities and castes to fight against each other. Through such riots, Congress had strengthened its vote bank and did injustice to a large section of the society," Mr Shah said in Mahudha town of Kheda district."There have been many riots in Bharuch, curfew, violence. There was no room for development in Gujarat because of the chaos. In 2002, they tried to indulge in communal violence... we taught them such a lesson, we put them in jail. It's been 22 years, we have not put a curfew even once. BJP has done the work to bring the peace to a land that saw frequent communal riots," he said.The AIMIM will field 14 candidates in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Gujarat assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.Voting for 89 assembly seats will take place in the first phase, while for the remaining 93 assembly seats, voting will be held in the second phase of polling.
AHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win the coming Gujarat elections by a record margin, surpassing its previous best performances - both in terms of seats and vote share. "We shall break all our past records and and return to office once again with a thumping majority," Shah said. In an exclusive conversation with TOI here, Shah identified PM Narendra Modi's popularity and performance of the BJP governments as the main reasons for his confidence. He said while Modi enjoys goodwill everywhere, people of Gujarat share a special bond with him and that has grown stronger because of his performance as the PM. Battle of Gujarat is between Congress and BJP, says Amit ShahRead Also‘Gujarat’s bond with Modi has grown stronger because of his work… will help BJP win again’Union home minister Amit Shah, who has been campaigning extensively in Gujarat, is confident that the performance of successive BJP governments in the state and the growing affection for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will help BJP score an easy win there. In an exclusive conversation with TOI’sThe home minister dismissed the risk of "anti-incumbency" hurting BJP, which has been in office in Gujarat for 27 years now. "Our track record speaks for itself," he said, adding "pro-incumbency" is the dominant sentiment in the state. He noted that many issues BJP has raised since its Jan Sangh days have been resolved by the Modi government. Making light of AAP's challenge, Shah said BJP's fight in the Gujarat polls was still with Congress, which despite its problems consistently held on to a sizeable vote share in the state. The home minister was confident that AAP's 'politics of freebies' would not wash with Gujarat voters.
AHMEDABAD: Union home minister Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win the coming Gujarat elections by a record margin, surpassing its previous best performances - both in terms of seats and vote share. "We shall break all our past records and and return to office once again with a thumping majority," Shah said. In an exclusive conversation with TOI in Ahmedabad, Shah identified PM Narendra Modi's popularity and performance of the BJP governments as the main reasons for his confidence. He said while Modi enjoys goodwill everywhere, people in Gujarat share a special bond with him and that has grown stronger because of his performance as the PM. The home minister dismissed the risk of "anti-incumbency" hurting BJP, which has been in office in Gujarat for 27 years now. "Our track record speaks for itself," he said, adding "pro-incumbency" is the dominant sentiment in the state. He noted that many issues BJP has raised since its Jan Sangh days have been resolved by the Modi government. Making light of AAP's challenge, Shah said BJP's fight in the Gujarat polls was still with Congress, which despite its problems has consistently held on to a sizeable vote-share in the state. The home minister was confident that AAP's 'politics of freebies' would not wash with Gujarat voters.
Questioning the “repeated trips” made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Gujarat, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said he had never seen such high anti-incumbency, as seen in the poll-bound state.Addressing an election meeting in Ahmedabad, the “Prime Minister has left all work in Delhi — which is his main job — and is here in Gujarat. What is the need for him to make repeated trips. Both Prime Minister and (home minister) Amit Shah are camping in the state.”Gehlot was speaking at Dariapur in Ahmedabad where sitting MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh is contesting.“You all are seeing what they are talking about in their speeches,” he said adding that unemployment and inflation were adversely affecting people in Gujarat. “I have never seen such high anti-incumbency, as I am seeing now in Gujarat. People are opposing them. They are not going to their meetings, because they have not done any work in the last five years,” the Rajasthan CM said adding that the BJP was forced to change its entire Cabinet last year.The Rajasthan CM said the anti-incumbency wave is bigger than 2017 elections, when congress fell a few seats short of forming the government in Gujarat. “If Congress wins this election, the Centre and Modji will get a shock. They will realise that they have lost due to high inflation and they will take steps to reduce prices. The entire country will benefit,” Gehlot said.“In Gujarat, Congress MLAs win. Thereafter horse trading happens and they are taken into BJP. This never used to happen earlier. After Modiji became the prime minister, a new model has come in the country, where elected governments are made to fall— Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka. These are dangers for democracy,” he said. Gehlot pointed out how sitting MLAs have rebelled within the BJP. “They blame the Congress, but they are not able to keep their own house in order.”Gehlot also remembered those who died of hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad and the recent bridge collapse tragedy in Morbi.
AHMEDABAD: Time has now come for people to generate income from electricity instead of getting it for free, PM Narendra Modi said on Thursday in an apparent dig at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s poll promise of providing power without charge. Modi also accused Congress of criticising him relentlessly rather than working for Gujarat’s progress. The PM is on a whirlwindcampaign tour for the December assembly elections in the state. He addressed rallies in Palanpur, Modasa, Dehgam and Bavla. Citing the example of India’s first fully solar-powered village, Modi said in Modasa: “You must have seen how the entire Modhera village is now running on rooftop solar power. People are using electricity as per their need and selling excess power (to the government). I want to replicate this system across Gujarat,” he said. “Under this system, you can earn money by selling excess electricity generated from solar panels. Only Modi knows this art wherein people will be able to earn from electricity,” he said. Kejriwal has been claiming that he is the only politician in the country who has “mastered this magic of providing free electricity”. Modi said now the farmers are themselves generating electricity through solar panels installed on unused corners of their fields. “They can also sell surplus electricity and earn money. The era of demanding affordable electricity is over,” he said. In Dehgam, the PM said opposition party functionaries are devoid of any vision for developing Gujarat as they are busy criticising him all the time. “Instead of finding solutions to problems of the slum dwellers, Congress used to just throw some pieces towards them. We are also working forempowerment of the poor and middle class,” he said. Modi also accused Congress of “divide and rule” policy and focussing only on how to be in government. He said Congress has ignored Gandhian values, which resulted in villages of Gujarat suffering from utter neglect for years. “Mahatma Gandhi used to say that the soul of India resides in its villages. But Congress never cared to follow such Gandhian values. They actually trampled that soul,” he said in Bavla near Ahmedabad. Modi also charged Congress with fomenting rifts between villages and cities. “Congress only tried to benefit from these conflicts,” he said. Talking about education, he said the BJP government has transformed this sector in the state and made it more scientific and modern. “Gujarat’s education budget has now gone up to Rs 33,000 crore, more than the total budget outlay of several states,” he said. In Palanpur, Modi said: “This election is not about who will become an MLA or whose government will come. This election is all about deciding Gujarat’s destiny for the next 25 years. ” He said the BJP government has focussed on tourism, environment, water, cattle-rearing and nutrition aspects for the overall development of Banaskantha and the surrounding region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stepped up campaigning for his party BJP in GujaratAhmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today it was time to generate income from electricity instead of getting it for free, an apparent reference to promise of free power made by some parties in Gujarat, and asserted that next month's Assembly election is about deciding the state's destiny for the next 25 years.Stepping up his campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with just a week left for the first phase of polling, the Prime Minister addressed four rallies for the second consecutive day in different parts of the state in support of ruling party candidates.Addressing an election rally in Modasa town of Aravalli district in north Gujarat, the PM said only he knows the art through which people can earn money from electricity.Both Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, political rivals of the BJP, have promised free electricity (up to 300 units per month) to people if voted to power in Gujarat.Seeking to counter their free power promise, Modi said he wants to see people across Gujarat earning money from excess electricity generated from solar rooftop systems instead of just getting it for free."You must have seen how the entire Modhera village (in Mehsana district) is now running on rooftop solar power. They are using electricity as per their need and sell excess power (to the government). I want to replicate this system across Gujarat," he said."Under this system, you can earn money by selling excess electricity generated from solar panels. Only Modi knows this art wherein people will be able to earn from electricity," said Mr Modi.He told the audience a woman from Modhera is now planning to buy a refrigerator and an air-conditioner as electricity has become affordable after the installation of rooftop solar power."She told me that though her family was able to afford the appliances earlier, they refrained from using them because they could not bear the running cost. Now, they can afford it because electricity is free. I am working to bring this revolution at the doorstep of each and every household in Gujarat," the PM said.He said now farmers are themselves generating electricity through solar panels installed on unused corners of their farms."They can also sell excess electricity and earn money. The era of demanding affordable electricity has gone. Today, you can generate income by selling electricity," said Mr Modi, who had served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.Mr Modi also slammed the Congress, saying the opposition party only believes in the formula of "divide and rule" and it only focuses on how to get power."Rajasthan is near your border. Have you seen any development in that state? Have you seen any good news coming out of that state? The Congress cannot do development," he said.At another election meeting in Palanpur town of Banaskantha district, Mr Modi said the upcoming polls will decide the state's destiny for the next 25 years.He added that though many development works have been carried out by the BJP in Gujarat and the Centre, time has come to take a "giant leap"."This election is not about who will become an MLA or whose government will be formed. This election is all about deciding Gujarat's destiny for the next 25 years," Mr Modi said.The PM pointed out that Gujarat's education budget has now gone up to Rs 33,000 crore, more than the total budget outlay of several states.Notably, the comments of the BJP's star campaigner on Gujarat's education scenario came at a time when the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been aggressively pitching the 'Delhi model' of education and has promised to revamp government-run schools if voted to power in the state.The PM told the gathering that Gandhinagar has now become an education hub housing numerous colleges and universities.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com"Mahatma Gandhi used to say that the soul of India resides in its villages, but Congress leaders never cared to follow Gandhian values. They actually crushed that soul. Villages remained neglected and their true potential was never realised," he noted.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayWhatsApp's Secret New Feature Will Make Your Life Easier
