The convener of Aam Adami Party (AAP) and the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal is all set to kick-start the poll campaign for the ensuing Gujarat Assembly elections from the second week of July, by offering prayers at the historic Somnath Temple.
Kejriwal will be on a two-day visit of Gujarat from July 9 to 10. To mark his visit, the AAP's State unit has decided to inaugurate the party's Gujarat headquarters in Ahmedabad. The AAP has indicated that it will contest Assembly polls from all 182 constituencies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home-State.
"It would be Arvind's maiden visit to Gujarat after he became the Delhi Chief Minister with overwhelming majority. It would be a morale booster form party workers in the State. Gradually more party offices are being opened in parliamentary as well as Assembly constituencies in the State," claimed AAP leader Harshil Nayak.
Strategically, Kejriwal selected two areas during his two-day visit to Gujarat - Saurashtra and South Gujarat, where intensity of Patidar agitation was more. On the second day of his visit, the Delhi Chief Minister would meet businessmen in South Gujarat city Surat. According to sources, he would utilise his 'Marvadi' connections and meet textile barons in Surat. It is well-known fact that most of the textile units are owned by Marvadis in Surat. He will also meet owners of diamond units which are pre-dominantly owned by Patels.
Reacting on Kejriwal's visit, political analysts said that traditionally Gujarat voters accepted either Congress or BJP as ruling party. In the yesteryears, several attempts of third options were tried out time to time, but all efforts were in vain. The latest was Keshubhai Patel's political outfit, Gujarat Parivartan Party.
Even current Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela's attempt of regional party Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) miserably failed to woo Gujarat voters.
"AAP fought in 2014 lok Sabha polls from 24 constituencies and all its candidates lost their deposits. Besides, Kejriwal's party contested in by-polls of seven Assembly constituencies and the result was same," Gujarat BJP spokesman Bharat Pandya tweeted recently, after AAP's announcement about Kejriwal's visit to Gujarat.