Amidst the shock wave following the adverse verdict in Bihar for the saffron party, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Monday initiated campaign for elections to over 300 local self-Government bodies.
On Monday the Chief Minister inaugurated three election offices at Bapunagar, Khadiya and Sabarmati wards and also addressed a meeting of BJP workers at Ghatlodia area in Ahmedabad.
Patel chose the auspicious day of Dhanteras to kick-start her campaign for local body polls scheduled for November 22 and November 29. In the backdrop of ongoing pro-quota stir of Patel community, the elections are seen as litmus test for the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat, especially when her party is contesting first major election without Narendra Modi.
“The agitating Patel leaders who are demanding reservations in Government jobs and education have given clarion call to their community members to vote against BJP. Since Patels are considered as BJP’s vote bank, the party leadership in the State has become extra vigilant to retain Patel votes,” said a senior BJP leader.
However, confident Anandiben maintains that the ongoing pro-quota stir wouldn’t affect BJP’s winning streak in Gujarat in the upcoming polls of
six municipal corporations: Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar, nearly 50 municipalities and over 250 district and taluka (tehsil) Panchayats.
State Government spokesman Nitin Patel too reiterated that the State BJP leaders are trying to ensure the Patel agitation has no adverse effects on the local body polls. In an urgently convened meeting of the Gujarat BJP leaders on Sunday evening, the CM said that they (Patels) and others (communities) are always with the BJP and would continue do so. The State BJP too said the result of Bihar elections wouldn’t impact the local body polls.