Shah delivers pep-talk to Guj BJP workers ahead of 2017 polls

BJP president Amit Shah today urged the party workers to pull up their socks for the next year's Gujarat Assembly polls, saying the outcome of the polls would be the base for party's win in the general elections of 2019.
BJP is facing a tough challenge in Gujarat after being in power for almost two decades, in the face of Patidar quota agitation and the recent Una Dalit atrocity incident. Earlier this month it replaced the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel with Vijay Rupani, considered to be a Shah loyalist.
In a pep-talk to the state BJP workers here, Shah asked them to get their act together as there wasn't much time.

"BJP received absolute majority in Lok Sabha under (Narendra) Modi's leadership. The way his government is working...There is no doubt it will be in power for a very long time. I can see this written on the wall," he said.
"Prepare yourself for the 2017 Assembly polls. You must have confidence in your mind that just like Gujarat got the credit for BJP's win 2014 general elections, we will prepare the base for 2019 by making BJP victorious here in 2017.
Shah was speaking at a party function where the newly-

appointed Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani was felicitated. Chief Minister Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel and former CM Anandiben Patel were present, among others.

Shah asserted that Congress's dream to recapture Gujarat will never be fulfilled.
"This is the best time to give a fitting reply to those who are dreaming to acquire power. Before you leave this place, take a pledge to work harder to not only make BJP victorious, but with a thumping two-third majority. Let's start working towards preparing the base for 2019 by winning Gujarat polls in 2017," he said.
Rupani too said in his speech that elections were round the corner. "We have very little time and have to play a 20-20 match in Gujarat," the Chief Minister said.