BJP Union ministers to seek people's suggestions for Gujarat manifesto
With the Gujarat Assembly elections inching closer, Union ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are visiting the poll-bound state to seek suggestions and feedback from one crore citizens. The data would be used to prepare the party's vision document "Agrasar Gujarat Ke Sujhaav (Tips for taking Gujarat forward)." The campaign was kickstarted on Tuesday in various constituencies and will continue until November 15.
Why does this story matter?
In the upcoming Assembly polls, Gujarat is set to witness a triangular contest between the ruling BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Congress. The recent Morbi cable bridge collapse, which claimed the lives of nearly 135 people, could be a hurdle in the saffron party's bid, but the BJP is still expected to pull through the crucial elections.
What is 'Agrasar Gujarat Ke Sujhaav'?
The saffron brigade's teams are set to meet professionals, traders, and conduct door-to-door campaigns until November 15 in all 182 Assembly constituencies and seek suggestions for Gujarat's development. This will allow the BJP's manifesto team to work with the recommendations collected. The election wave will hit Gujarat in two phases, on December 1 and 5, and votes will be counted on December 8.
Schedule for Gujarat elections
Narendra Modi lauds Gujarat
With the polls in Gujarat just days away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently took to Twitter and said that the people of Gujarat have always answered firmly to those who have "defamed Gujarat." PM Modi also attached a video from his public meetings in Valsad district's Kaprada village, where he also lauded Gujarat for always believing in development and good governance.
Watch: Gujarat believes in good governance, says PM Modi
Looking back at 2017 Gujarat polls
In the 2017 Gujarat elections, the BJP won 99 seats but currently has 111 MLAs after several turncoats joined the fold. The Congress won 77 seats in 2017. However, after numerous defections, it is now left with just 62 members in the Assembly. Moreover, Bhupendra Patel, the incumbent Gujarat chief minister, has reportedly emerged as the most favored candidate in the initial opinion polls.
New opposition in Gujarat?
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP plans to emerge a BJP alternative in Gujarat. It is contesting all 182 Assembly seats after tasting success in the 2021 Gujarat civic polls. In Gandhinagar (21%), Surat (28%) and Rajkot (17%), the AAP made significant inroads. To win the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, the AAP took a similar civic poll route, first winning the Chandigarh municipal elections.
