Even as the first phase of voting is underway, both the Congress and BJP, not wasting any time, has begun with the elections campaigning for the second phase of polling due on 14 Dec. In the first phase which is taking place today, of the total 182 seats, 89 will face the elections and the remaining 93 will go to polls on 14 Dec. The results for both the phases along with the results of Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections that were held on 9 Nov, will be announced on 18 Dec.
While the Gujaratis are queued up in lines to chose their next government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi are both scheduled to hold a number of rallies today. While Narendra Modi will be holding rallies in Lunawada, Anand, and Mehsana, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address the gatherings in Patan, Banaskantha, and Mehsana districts. The reason behind Congress choosing these venues for the rallies is that these regions are said to be the Patidar bastion and the party is trying hard to lure as many Patidars to their side as possible. The major reason to get the Patidars in their court is because this community is believed to be one of the traditional vote banks of the BJP. If the Patidars vote for the Congress it will surely leave a dent in the votes of BJP.
Narendra Modi began the campaigning for the second phase from Lunawada. Addressing the gathering there, Modi said that “the Congress been rejected comprehensively across the nation and it will be rejected in Gujarat too.” He added that the people of Gujarat will punish the Congress for their politics. It seems like the BJP has found a new weapon to use against the Congress, after the recent row over the statement of Mani Shankar Aiyar.
While addressing the gathering in Lunawada, Modi said that it is not only Aiyar, but it is a common practice of the Congresses to use abusive language against him. Citing an example, he said that a youth Congress leader named Salman Nizami has used unacceptable language against him. “He (Nizami) wrote on Twitter about Rahul ji’s father and grandmother. That is okay, but he asks – ‘Modi tell me who is your mother, who is your father?’ Such language can’t even be used for your enemies… He calls for Azad Kashmir, he calls our army (personnel) rapists. How can the people accept someone like Salman Nizami? He also says there will be an Afzal (Guru) from every home,” he said.
Responding to all the statements made by the Congress, Modi replied that “I want to tell all Congress leaders who are abusing me, mocking my poor family, asking who my parents are – this nation is my everything. Every moment of my time is devoted to India and the 125 crore Indians.”
During his address, the Prime Minister also alleged that the Congress party has misled the Muslim community, by making fake promises of reservation for the community. Addressing a rally in Ahmedabad’s Nikol constituency on Friday, Modi taking a dig at the Congress for calling him a ‘neech aadmi’ alleged that this is not the first time that the Congress has used such name for him.He said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her family also in the past have called him with such names. “They did not call me ‘neech’ for the first time yesterday. Sonia Gandhi and her family members have used it too. Why am I ‘neech’ – because I was born poor because I am of a lower caste because I am a Gujarati? Is that why they hate me?” he questioned.
Also talking about the small businessmen and targetting the Congress for calling him a man of low origin the Prime Minister said that the strength of the middle classmen is rising along with its rising population. “This section of society aspires to progress at a quick pace,” he added. A day ahead of the polling for the first phase of the elections he claimed that “After traveling across Saurashtra, Kutch, south Gujarat and north Gujarat, I am now in Ahmedabad. What I am seeing is extraordinary. It is clear that the BJP will emerge victoriously.”
The Prime Minister also underlined all the incidents when the Congress gave abusive names to him. Addressing a rally in Nikol Modi attacked the Congress leaders saying that Anand Sharma had called him mentally unstable. “What did Anand Sharma say – PM Modi is mentally unstable. A Congress leader retweeted such an offensive tweet about me that I cannot even say it. What did Digvijaya Singh tweet about me? Evidently, one Gujarati, a person born into a poor family has troubled them a lot,” Modi said.
He further added how and when the Congress had called him a monkey, a mad dog, a virus, and even went on to the extent of comparing him to bhasmasur. The Prime Minister during his address told that “Ghulam Nabi Azad said I am Gangu Teli. Are these the kind of things we should say in public life? Imran Masood, who they gave a ticket to, said we will cut Modi into pieces. Renuka Chowdhury called me a virus. She said I bring ‘Namonitis’. I don’t even want to get started on what Gujarat Congress leaders have been calling me.”
Meanwhile responding to the allegations made by Modi in his rallies, and especially to the allegation of Congress leader named Salman Nizami of using offensive language against him Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said that “We don’t know who Salman Nizami is. He does not hold any position in the party. We can also say that there is some random person called Ram Lal in the BJP who said something.”
While on Saturday the voting was underway in Saurashtra and South Gujarat region, the Prime Minister addressing a rally in Bodeli accused that the Congress party is unable to understand and identify with the aspirations of the tribal communities and the farm
Meanwhile, on the other hand, Congress too has been on its toes, even as the voting for the first phase ends today, the opposition party already began with the campaigning for the second phase of the elections due on 14 Dec. Addressing a rally in Patan’s Harij Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said that “They (the BJP) have everything – the central government, UP government, Maharashtra government, IB… Everything… The Congress party has nothing but the truth of Gujarat.”
As per the latest updates of the voting for the first phase of the elections, around 45.61% voters have turned out until 2 pm to exercise their franchise. The results for both the phases will be announced on 18 Dec.