Gujarat will soon be poll bound to face the upcoming assembly elections due in Dec this year. The enthusiasm of BJP to colour India saffron can be seen through out the nation and it is trying the same in Gujarat.
Gujarat being the home state of the Prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to be an advantage for BJP seeking nothing less than victory in both the assembly elections due in Dec and the General elections due in 2019. However, the OBCs and other backward classes in Gujarat seem to be disappointed by the ruling government.
Recently the Patidar leader Hardik Patel has been very active in the state demonstrating protest against the government for not giving a heed to the demands of the OBC and the backward. Along with him another Backward Class (OBC) leader Alpesh Thakor have also been expressing his agitation against the ruling government led by Vijay Rupani.
These two leaders have significantly gathered quite a few number of supports with them, alarming the BJP. The ruling party seemed to be a little over confident on winning a consecutive term and hence was not focusing much on the backward classes. These leaders have now forced the BJP to focus their attention in these classes.
Now, ahead of the elections, BJP is planning to host a number of rallies and yatras in the state. BJP party president Amit Shah will be addressing a rally of backward castes on Sep 18 at Phagwel in Kheda district. This region accommodates Thakors in large numbers, who usually earn their living working as peasants and small farmers. BJP specifically chose this region as Alpesh Thakor who has been campaigning with Hardik Patel has been successful is luring impressive following in this region, making it a matter of concern for the ruling party.
During this rally, BJP plans to attack the Congress and hit the people of the backward classes on the weak point of getting constitutional status for National Commission for Backward Castes (NCBC). A senior BJP leader said that “BJP will use this rally to tell the backward castes that it is Congress which thwarted the NDA government’s move to give constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Castes (NCBC). The Bill for this purpose was defeated by the Congress-led opposition in Rajya Sabha in the last monsoon session.”
The party is also likely to use the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also belongs to a backward class in its favor. The party will be holding a rally and two yatras, to attract the attention of the OBC and the backward classes.
The first yatra will begin on Oc1 from Karamsad, the birthplace of Sardar Patel while the second yatra will start from Porbandar on 2 Oct, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. One yatra will be led by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel who belongs to the Kadva class and the other will be led by BJP Gujarat unit chief Jitu Vaghani, who is a Leuva Patel.
A senior BJP leader also informed that Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will be attending both the yatras. Several other ministers will also be joining the yatra which will be held for 15 days concluding on 15 Oct with a big rally.
The rally and the Yatra will mainly be focusing on winning back the faith and confidence of the OBCs and the backward classes who are currently agitated with the ruling government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in the state on his birthday, 17 Sep to inaugurate the Sardar Sarovar dam. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is appointed as the BJP head of Gujarat election campaign, will be in Gandhinagar on 19 Sep to attend party’s executive meeting.