Page 13 - Gujarat Elections

BJP plays the freebies game to match AAP's goodies for the Gujarati voters

The prelude to the polls also saw mega projects unveiled by the Centre and the handing out of a few sops to match the breathless pace at which AAP has promised an array of goodies to voters

PM Modi's visit to Mangarh Dham will help party in Guj polls: BJP leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan's Banswara district next week will help the BJP in assembly elections in neighbouring Gujarat as well as in this state next year, particularly in wooing the tribal community, party leaders said. The Mangarh Dham, a memorial for around 1,500 tribals massacred by the British army in 1913, is located in the the district on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, a region with a large tribal population. Elections in Gujarat, dates for which are yet to be announced, are scheduled to be held in two months. The Congress government in Rajathan has been demanding that the dham be declared a monument of national importance, with Chief Minister Ashok Ghelot in a recent meeting, saying he has written twice to Prime Minister Modi about the status to the memorial. This would be a "true" tribute to Govind Guru, Gehlot had said. The gathering of tribals and forest dwellers in 1913 in Mangarh against the British Raj was being led by social ...

Shah meets with BJP leaders, workers of Gujarat to review poll preparations

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday held a meeting with BJP leaders and workers of south Gujarat zone to review preparations for the upcoming state Assembly elections, dates of which are yet to be announced. State BJP president and Lok Sabha MP CR Paatil and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were also present in the meeting. Party leaders from seven districts of south Gujarat, including ministers, MLAs, Surat mayor, district panchayat presidents and office-bearers were present in the meeting held at Saurashtra Kadva Patidar Samaj Hall near Valsad city's Dharampur Chokdi. Talking to reporters, Shah said preparations for the Assembly election for seats in south Gujarat zone were complete, right from micro-planning to election and booth management and victory processions. The senior BJP leader is touring the state to review the party's election preparations at zone level. Shah started with south Gujarat, and will meet leaders of the central zone in Vadodara on Sunday. Paatil and

Modi's frequent visits to Gujarat betray people's disaffection: Congress

The Congress on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his long visits to poll-bound Gujarat saying it indicates all is not well for the BJP in his home state and he should open up a camp office there. Congress' In-charge for Gujarat affairs Raghu Sharma on Friday claimed that there is a lot of anger against the BJP in the state, and called the ruling party "anti-tribal." He said the party's stance towards tribals was evident from the recent attacks on Congress MLA and tribal leader Anant Patel, which he alleged was done at the behest of Gujarat BJP chief C R Patil. Sharma also accused new entrants, Aam Aadmi Party and AIMIM, as "B-teams" of the BJP, as they were aiding the saffron party in elections across the country, including in Gujarat. He took a dig at Union Home minister Amit Shah saying he is always seen in Gujarat these days, which is indicative of the rising unrest among local people in the state, which will be reflected in the upcoming assembly ...

Himachal goes to polls on November 12; announcement for Gujarat later

A new actor in Himachal Pradesh is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

Hours after EC announces HP poll date, Shah, Gujarat CM meet PM Modi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the party's state unit chief C R Patil, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday, sources said. The meeting was held at the prime minister's official residence here and the three leaders are likely to have discussed several issues related to Gujarat, they said. The meeting comes hours after the Election Commission announced that assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November 12. The poll panel is expected to announce dates for Gujarat elections later this month. In 2017, Gujarat elections were held in early December. The BJP has won Gujarat for six consecutive times and has been in power for 27 years. This time, the Aam Aadmi Party is trying to make inroads in the saffron-party's stronghold, where the Congress has been the traditional rival.

Followed 2017 convention in not announcing HP, Guj polls together: CEC

The Election Commission on Friday cited convention followed in 2017 for not announcing the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat together and underlined that the model code this time has not been "unnecessarily extended". Responding to a volley of questions on why the poll panel did not announce the two polls together, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said "the Commission actually goes by the convention in announcing the schedule of elections. It went by the convention last followed." In 2017, the polls in the two state were announced on different dates but the counting took place together on December 18. The EC on Friday announced the schedule for Himachal Pradesh assembly polls. The notification will be issued on October 17 and the polls will be held on November 12. The counting of votes will take place on December 8. Asked whether the counting of votes for Gujarat will be held along with Himachal Pradesh on December 8, Kumar said "when we come for Gujarat (poll .

Gujarat poll dates not out along with HP to give PM more time: Congress

The Congress on Friday alleged that dates for Gujarat assembly polls were not announced along with Himachal Pradesh so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets more time to make "mega promises and inaugurations". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party is not surprised over the development after the Election Commission announced poll dates only for the hill state and not for Gujarat. "Obviously, this has been done to give more time to the PM to make some mega promises and carry out more inaugurations. Not at all surprising," Ramesh said. Earlier in the day, the Election Commission announced that elections to the Himachal Pradesh assembly will be held on November 12. On not announcing the dates for Gujarat assembly polls, it said various factors, including convention, gap in qualifying dates, and weather had been considered before taking a decision. The poll panel also said announcement of multiple state elections leads to longer wait in declaration of results.

Amit Shah to inaugurate ''Gujarat Gaurav Yatra'' in Ahmedabad today

With Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gearing for the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the "Gujarat Gaurav Yatra" in Ahmedabad today

New India moving forward with ancient values, reviving tradition: PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi said that to reach the pinnacle of success, it is also necessary that the nation touches its cultural excellence, and stands proudly with its identity

Congress outsourced contract of abusing me, says PM Modi in Rajkot rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Congress has outsourced the contract of abusing him. Addressing a rally in Jamkandorna town of Rajkot district in Gujarat ahead of the state Assembly polls due this year-end, Modi warned BJP workers and supporters to be aware of the Congress which, he said, has stopped abusing him and is "working silently" to capture rural votes. In the last 20 years, those who were against Gujarat left no stone unturned to defame the state. They hurled choicest abuses against me, including calling me maut ka saudagar', the prime minister said. They have suddenly gone silent. They have outsourced the contract of creating ruckus, making noise and abusing me, to others. They are silently going to villages and asking people for votes, Modi said, without naming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the new entrant to the poll fray in Gujarat. I should warn you against this silent strategy of the opposition party. I know this as this is being controlled by those who

PM Modi to launch various projects in Gujarat, address rally in Anand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday dedicate to the nation various projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore at Amod in Bharuch district of Gujarat and inaugurate an educational complex for the needy students in Ahmedabad. The PM is on a three-day visit to Gujarat from Sunday, ahead of the Assembly polls due in the BJP-ruled state later this year. On Monday, he will lay the foundation stone of a bulk drug park at Jambusar and a deep sea pipeline project at Dahej in Bharuch district. He will also participate in the ground breaking ceremony for the development of multiple industrial parks in the district. In Ahmedabad, the prime minister will inaugurate the Modi Shaikshanik Sankul -- an educational complex for the needy students. The project will help provide facilities to students for holistic development, as per a government release. PM Modi will also address a public rally at Vallabh Vidyanagar in Anand district. In the evening, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation st

Assembly elections: A test of BJP's defence in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh

Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will go to the polls in a few weeks. Aditi Phadnis explains everything you wants to know about the political state of play in these two states

Many BJP cadres in Gujarat secretly support AAP, claims Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that many leaders and workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat secretly support his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and want to see the defeat of their own party in the upcoming Assembly elections. Targeting the BJP over the posters that surfaced in several Gujarat cities on Saturday in which he was termed as "anti-Hindu", the AAP's national convener said those behind the posters were "demons and descendants of Kans". "Many BJP leaders and workers meet me and secretly ask me to do something to defeat the ruling party. I would like to tell all the BJP workers and leaders who want to defeat their party to work secretly for AAP," he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Valsad district in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are slated to be held in the next couple of months. "We have to break 27 years of their (BJP's) arrogance. I know you have your businesses, if you join us they will damage your business. You stay there, but .

AAP leaders Kejriwal, Mann to address 2 rallies in poll-bound Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will jointly address two rallies in Gujarat on Sunday on the second day of their visit to the BJP-ruled state where the Assembly elections are due in December this year. The two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders will address a public meeting at Dharampur in the tribal-dominated Valsad district and at Kadodara in Surat district. On Saturday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Mann had addressed a public meeting in Dahod town and participated in a 'Tiranga Yatra' in Vadodara. BJP leaders in Gujarat on Saturday lashed out at the Kejriwal-led party, after a viral video clip showed AAP's Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at an event where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism while denouncing Hindu deities. Several banners had also surfaced in prominent cities of Gujarat, calling Kejriwal "anti-Hindu". The AAP is trying to position itself as the main opposition to the BJP, which has governed Gujarat for

PM Modi on 3-day visit to Gujarat, to launch projects worth Rs 14,600 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day visit to Gujarat from Sunday where he will launch various projects worth more than Rs 14,600 crore and address gatherings ahead of the state Assembly polls due later this year. Modi will arrive in the evening and will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth about Rs 3,900 crore at Modhera village in Mehsana district. He will also declare Modhera as India's first 24x7 solar-powered village. The PM will also offer prayers at the Modheshwari Mata Temple and visit the Surya Mandir in Modhera. Making Modhera as the country's first round-the-clock solar powered village involved developing a ground mounted solar power plant and more than 1,300 rooftop solar systems on residential and government buildings, a government release said. On Monday, the prime minister will be at Amod in Bharuch district where he will dedicate to the nation various projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore. He will inaugurate the Modi

BJP, Congress organise events to remember Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat

The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on Sunday in a big way in Gujarat where the Assembly elections are due later this year. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended a prayer meet with BJP leaders at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, and said the Father of the Nation lives in the heart of every Indian. The Congress said it will hold a prayer meeting at Kochrab Ashram, established by Mahatma Gandhi, near the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad in the evening. Elections are due in Gujarat by this year-end and political parties are engaged in hectic campaigning across the state. After the prayer meet in Porbandar, CM Patel said, Mahatma Gandhi resides in the heart of every Indian. His philosophy of non-violence, truth and cleanliness is being thought about and followed across the world when it is plagued by war, communism, imperialism and capitalism." He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working t

Kejriwal promises Rs 40 per day for upkeep of cows if AAP wins in Gujarat

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday promised Rs 40 per day for the upkeep of every cow in Gujarat and a shelter home for non-milching cattle in every district of the state if the Aam Aadmi Party is voted to power. Kejriwal's announcement is a renewed push to counter the ruling BJP in Gujarat and attract Hindu voters, as per political experts. The Aam Aadmi Party national convener also claimed that the BJP and opposition Congress have united to "cut into the AAP votes" as according to an "IB report", his party will form the next government in the state. "In Delhi, we give Rs 40 per cow per day. The Delhi government gives Rs 20 and another Rs 20 is given by the municipal corporation. If the AAP is voted to power in Gujarat, then we will provide Rs 40 per cow per day for their upkeep," Kejriwal said at a press conference in Rajkot. Panjrapole (shelters homes for cattle) will be constructed in every district for non-milching cows and those roaming on roads, Kejriwal said and

Government approves 22nd tranche of electoral bonds; sale from October 1-10

Ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the government on Thursday approved issuance of 22nd tranche of electoral bonds that will open for sale on October 1. Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. State Bank of India (SBI), in the 22nd phase of sale, has been authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds through its 29 authorised branches from October 1-10, the finance ministry said in a statement. The authorised SBI branches include those in Lucknow, Shimla, Dehradun, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Patna, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Raipur, and Mumbai. Assembly election dates for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are likely to be announced in few weeks. The 21st tranche of bond sales took place from July 1-10, 2022. Sale of the first batch of electoral bonds happened from March 1-10, 2018. SBI is the only authorised bank

Kejriwal, Mann to meet sanitation, contractual workers in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet sanitation workers as well as contractual and outsourced employees of the Gujarat government in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The two Aam Aadmi Party leaders will also hold a two hall meeting with youth from the state, where the Assembly polls are due in December this year, the AAP said. The AAP been making a concerted effort to emerge as the main force against the ruling BJP in the state, with leaders like Kejriwal and others promising various "guarantees" to the electorate if voted to power. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Punjab CM Mann will interact with youth at a town hall meet in Ahmedabad. They will also address contractual and outsourced employees of the state government and meet sanitation workers, the AAP said. During his multiple visits to Gujarat in the recent past, Kejriwal offered a number of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units, allowances to unemployed