A visit to Khadia amid election fever,who’s likely to win and why?

The atmosphere prior the 14th February Khadia assembly by-election suggests that the victory of BJP candidate Shri Bhushan Ashokbhai Bhatt is almost sure.

Congress candidate Jagat Shukla seems to have some backing only in Pakhali ni pol area where he resides and active with his organization ‘Raipur Youth Circle’. Some scattered pockets of antique Congress supporters can just add few more votes. He is banking on good number of votes from Muslim and backward class dominated Raikhad pocket.

It is not that BJP is unaware of this. The party is employing extra efforts in these area. BJP already has created solid foot print in such traditionally pro-Congress area.

Jagat Shukla arranged public meeting of state opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil, and also organized Bhajan Sandhya. Those who attended both programmes told DeshGujarat that Shaktisinh Gohil was shouting, and with angry face he was continuously speaking against Modi and his government. He was just unbearable! The Bhajan Sandhya was attended by about 150 people. Same number of people were sitting few meters away outside the BJP election office, without any Bhajan Sandhya or event.

Ahmedabad based Congress leader Narhari Amin believes that Khadia has just 72,000 voters, and by turning few votes from here to there, there’s ample opportunity to creat upset here. Amin regularly visits Jagat Shukla’s office. It is heard that Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela could address several community oriented meetings in Khadia in later stage of the campaign. However Bapu would remain low profile while doing so.

Congress party has given command of booths to its frontal cadre of state leaders. One Congress leader told DeshGujarat that persons like Ex-MP and MLA are given responsibility of respective booth.

BJP has given responsibility of each booth to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation ward unit. Take an example of a booth that includes Sheth ni pol, where city BJP’s Paldi ward Councilors, office bearers, and workers will work for the party throughout the campaign and also on election day. For smooth sail, the workers from Paldi would coordinate with local Khadia workers of that booth.

BJP candidate Bhushan Bhatt takes rounds and meetings of the workers in the morning and in the evening. A bicycle cart follows him wherever he goes for campaign. This cart has big photograph of Bhushan’s father late Shri Ashok Bhatt. When somebody offers garland or flowers to Bhushan, he simply denies to accept it and asks to put that garland or flower in the cart before his father’s photograph. The whole election is being contested by Bhushan in the name of late Shri Ashok Bhatt and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s development works.

Presently the BJP is doing very well in Gujarat, and its acceptance among people is perhaps highest in the history of contemporary politics of the state. This is golden era of BJP in the state. The party is targeting more than 150 seats in next assembly election. Khadia has never defeated BJP. Ashok Bhatt was Narendra Modi of Khadia. As just within six months of his death, his son is contesting the election on BJP ticket, the victory is almost sure. Bhushan has performed not bad during his two terms as Municipal Councilor. On the other side, though Jagat Shukla is popular in a pocket, the Congress party has not enough local infrastructure of workers to implement its strategy all across the assembly area.

The election date is 14 February.