As the assembly polls in Gujarat are nearing Congress seem to have gained heights in the state. Gujarat will soon be poll bound as the state will face the assembly election in Dec this year. With just a few months left for the election both BJP and Congress are geared up to woo people to their side. But it seems like the election Campaign run by Congress has taken over, beating the ruling BJP and rising tensions for them.
As per the latest update, Congress quoting the words used by the Gujarat Cheif Minister Vijay Rupani a few days back has run a slogan, which is spreading across the social media like the forest fire. The slogan is ‘Vikas gando thayo chhe (Development has gone crazy)’. Adding to the humor and wit the ongoing Navratri season has also taken the slogan to new heights.
New Garba songs are being released based on this theme, one of them also refer to the major failures of the ruling government at the centre, mainly pointing out GST, unemployment, land deals and other issues. These garba songs in order to gather more attention has the voice of the Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani saying ‘Vikas gando thayo chhe’ instead of the singer.
Rohan Gupta, the head of the Congress party’s cyber cell informed that around 45 people are working day and night to carry forward this campaign ahead to the assembly election. He also said that a special war room has been set up the Congress to keep the zeal of the election campaign going on.
In his statement to the ET Rohan said that “humour is a very potent weapon and, given the political climate of the day and the depressive state of affairs, the best way to drive one’s point home is clean sarcasm.”
The words used by the Congress in the campaign are the words spoken by Vijay Rupani a few days back. Addressing a public function the Chief Minister had said that “Vikas gando thayo chhe. Bhrastachhar gando nathi thayo apne tya. Vikas gando thayo chhe. Garibi gandi thai nathi.Vikas gando thayo chhe, berozgaari gandi thai nathi (Development may have gone crazy but not corruption, poverty and unemployment).”
Another leader of the Gujarat BJP had said that unless development has gone crazy such things would not have happened. He has given this statement to the media while referring to the surgical strikes conducted by India across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and solution to the Dokalam standoff with China.
Responding to the successful election campaign of the Congress in Gujarat a BJP member expressed his concern. He said that if people are reacting and smiling on these songs released by Congress than it is a matter of concern for the ruling BJP. He further added that “Development has been the biggest and perhaps the sole official plank of the party for a long time. By making such sarcasm and making the people smile, Congress has definitely won this round snatching it away from the hands of BJP.
The ruling BJP in Gujarat is extremely worried about the growing popularity of the campaign is the state and even on the social media. For the time being it just sitting back and waiting for the campaign to subside gradually. While on the other hand, Congress seems to be firm on the point to carry forward the campaign for another three months and not let it die.
Rohan said that “all we need to do is to keep this alive for next three months and remind people what they have got in the name of development in last 22 years.” Reacting this statement of Rohan, a senior BJP member Parag Seth said that the voters are smart enough and they know what developments are done in past 22 years.
Other prominent social media face in the BJP in Gujarat questioned that those who all are complaining about no developments in the state, has the Congress forgotten its term and what developments did they make? He pointed out that the Congress had conveniently forgotten that the Sabarmati riverfront, where the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi had delivered his last speech was abandoned by the Congress during their term. The same place was converted into a global tourist destination by the very BJP government they try to make fun of.
He further added that such campaigns are not going to fool the people of Gujarat. They may be good humored and get a laugh or two, but this will not get a victory to the Congress.