Number of public meetings are going on in six poll bound cities of Gujarat, but one public meeting was special on Wednesday night.

This was a BJP rally organized in Ahmedabad’s 100% Muslim dominated Juhapura area.

In the history of this area, this was the first public meeting of BJP.

The meeting was organized under a 10-floor building ‘Royal Akbar tower’ on the main road that connects Vasna and Sarkhej through Juhapura.

A small stage accommodated three BJP candidates of Sarkhej seat, two of them Hindus and one Muslim. It should be mentioned that some Hindu areas of Sarkhej are also parts of this seat.

Muslim candidate, a 62-year-old retired police officer Mr. Saiyad’s photo was there on the banner of the stage along with the photograph of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi’s point man for difficult political tasks, and one of the few national executive members of BJP from Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrasinh Chudasama was main orator here.

The crowd was small, but Chudasama’s speech was superb.

Chudasama narrated how traditional Congress supporter classes such as tribal, and backwards now support BJP in Gujarat. Chudasama proved his this point with figures. He counted how 15 out of 17 tribal dominating seats are with BJP and similar when it comes to backward class seats. He said, the Muslims will be the next class to support the party in Gujarat.

Chudasama talked about Kathlal experience where Muslim dominated pockets voted BJP overwhelmingly. Chudasama was election in charge of Kathlal for the party. Party won Kathlal byelection with over 21000 lead. Kathlal was always a Congress bastion since independence.

Chudasama told the Muslims, how the benefits of good governance are reaching them. He gave example of non-interrupted power supply, Narmada water, 108 ambulances, among others, pointing out the fact that how the services are reaching Muslims too at par with the Hindus.

He said, his party has taken an initiative by selecting Mr. Saiyad as candidate. The party has extended its arm, now local voters have to respond. If Mr. Saiyad is elected, he will not only represent Juhapura in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, but he will be a representative of Gujarat’s all Muslims in Gandhinagar’s Secretariat and in Chief Minister’s office too. The party has given an opportunity to Muslims, and such opportunities don’t come every time. Long pending complain of Muslims that they can’t go to Gandhinagar for their demands because there’s BJP government, will cease to exist once Saiyad is elected, Chudasama said.

When Chudasama said that a voter can twist his ear, if the works are not done as promised, one well-built Muslim in 40s came to the stage and said, he would like to twist Chudasama’s ear. Chudasama told him that he has to vote BJP first, and then if the conditions are not changed, he can twist his ear. When a Muslim asked Sohrabuddin encounter related question to Chudasama, he was replied that this was not an occasion to discuss such things. A well built Muslim left the place.

At another instance, one person came on the back side of the stage and passed comment that BJP spreads disturbance. Reacting to this, Chudasama said on mike, that he is a seasoned politician and he is active for last 40 years. Such comments make no difference to him. Such comment is passed because of Congress party’s fear that its decades old intact Muslim vote bank will be looted by BJP. “But I want to tell them, that we are not here to loot someone’s vote bank, we are here to open our account in this bank here.”

Retired IPS BJP candidate Saiyad was every time looking visibly disturbed, when such one or two elements tried to interfere the meeting in negative way. But he continued to sit on his chair on the stage. His supporters however worked hard to ensure smooth sail of the meeting. While Chudasama’s speech was going on, there were at least three Muslim gentlemen who came to stage and offered cotton garland to him and to Mr. Saiyad. These gentlemen were rich Muslim traders. There were educated Muslim women too in the crowd.

When public meeting ended at 10.00 pm due to election commission’s prescribed time limit, Bhupendrasinh stepped down from the stage and mixed with the local Muslims. The atmosphere was cordial. At that time, somebody from 10-floor high Royal Akbar tower threw a pot(earthen round shaped bucket to store water) that came and broke down on surface at some distance away from Chudasama. Chudasama was advised by local party workers to take his place in car. Both Chudasama and candidate Mr. Saiyad sat in their cars and left the venue.

Barring just three individual elements, the public meeting went well. Chudasama’s maturity, and candidate Saiyad’s cool temper was suitable to this occasion. In Juhapura, some disturbance was expected. It could be an act of opponent candidates too.

The election is on 10 October, and result on 12th. The historic BJP meeting, first time in complete Muslim area of Juhapura was worth witnessing. If BJP succeeds in opening its account here, that would be a miracle.