Gujarat unit of the BJP as well as the Vijay Rupani Government are all set to face first litmus test post Assembly polls in February this year in wake of elections of 75 municipalities, 17 taluka panchayats, 1,400 village panchayats and couple of district panchayats.
Though the BJP could win the Assembly polls but the
saffron party got only 99 seats out of 182 compared to 117 in previous 2012 elections. Moreover, the party is also facing discontent in several MlAs including few Ministers over the exclusion in the Council of Ministers and allocation of portfolios respectively.
On Thursday a meeting of Gujarat BJP office-bearers as well as district presidents and secretaries was held at the party’s State headquarters – Shri Kamalam in presence of CM Rupani to discuss strategies for the upcoming polls of local bodies.
In the meeting it was decided that from 11th to 13 this month, observers appointed for all the municipalities where elections would be held would visit and meet local workers and office bearers. Door to door campaign would also be conducted during January 16 to 18, said Gujarat BJP spokesman Bharat Pandya.
The saffron party is in power in 58 out of 75 municipalities at present and 13 out of 17 taluka panchayats. Both the district panchayats are also with the ruling party. It would be a big challenge for the saffron brigade to maintain the similar situation as last time these local bodies were won under the able leadership of Narendra Modi, but this time he wouldn’t be around.
Although village panchayat elections are not fought on party symbols but the political outfits have sway over the candidates contesting such elections.
The Congress on its part is hoping to win more number of local bodies as the oldest political outfit in the country improve its tally from meagre 60 seats in 2012 to 77 in the recently concluded Assembly polls.