Guj bypolls: Will raise real issues against BJP, says Cong

The Gujarat Congress on Monday said it would raise "real issues" to counter the ruling BJP in the bypolls to be held in the state, adding that it expected the saffron party to extract mileage from the Centre's decision to scrap provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

State Congress president Amit Chavda, while reiterating his party's stand on the Article 370 move by the Narendra Modi government, said it would raise issues of inflation and unemployment.

"The Congress is against the Centre's move to scrap Article 370 because it was done in an undemocratic and unconstitutional manner. It was done in haste and without proper homework," Chavda told reporters here.

"The BJP government in Gujarat has failed on all fronts. People are reeling under high inflation, rampant corruption, economic slowdown and unemployment. These are the real issues concerning people and we will raise them during the bypolls," he said.

He expressed confidence that dissatisfaction among the people will reflect in the poll results.

He was responding to a query on the Congress' gameplan to tackle a possible BJP poll narrative centred on the Article 370 decision.

He said senior party leaders, including Bharatsinh Solanki, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia, have been given charge of the seven seats which fell vacant between May and July this year.

These seats are Morva-Hadaf, Radhanpur, Bayad, Tharad, Kheralu, Amraiwadi and Lunawada.

Morva Hadaf (ST) seat fell vacant in May after Independent MLA Bhupendra Khant was disqualified for submitting an invalid caste certificate.

Tharad, Kheralu, Amraiwadi and Lunawada seats fell vacant in June after their BJP MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Radhanpur and Bayad seats fell vacant in July after Congress MLAs Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala resigned immediately after Rajya Sabha polls.

Bypoll dates have not been announced so far for the seven seats.

As per rules, by-elections must be held within six months of vacancy.