Season of speculation is back!

Ahmedabad, 13 March 2014

Political journalists active in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar are at their worst when they speculate about BJP’s ticket allocations. Every time when election is announced, we read tonnes of speculative stories quoting party sources on possible candidates. Later when candidates are actually announced, we see completely different picture. Usually in election season, journos write about possible candidates only, but this time some of them have used their pen to write about internal differences over candidate selection process, ofcourse quoting sources!

Here is an example of speculations that we read in print over possible Rajya Sabha candidates, and here is who were the actual candidates.

The problem is, when you read speculative reports, you are completely misguided. Better to avoid speculative reports. The fact is, no political journalist in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar enjoys such access to top BJP leaders, that he/she can bring true inner story to you. Till Keshubhai’s time, the things were very much transparent. Haren Pandya and Ashok Bhatt were two ministers who used to give every hint to political journalists. But under Narendra Modi, BJP’s decisive organizational meetings are like unconquered fort.

Yes, periphery newspapers operated from places other than Ahmedabad enjoy some excess to Gujarat BJP’s top organizational team, and they are always ahead of others in leaking the inside details. What Vijay Rupani tells Akila off the record in Rajkot is always more valuable than reports published from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar quoting sources in BJP. Other thing, Gujarati TV channels too have joined the speculation club of media. They are believable when they have relevant byte or when they quote particular leader with name. So when you see Dinsha Patel saying on camera that he would not contest Lok Sabha election this time, believe it. But when you hear Bharatsinh Solanki doesn’t wish to contest this time due to weak health, and you don’t find his byte on camera, don’t believe it.

The source based news on TV channels on BJP LS candidates are just fiction says a source 😛

— Vijay (@centerofright) March 13, 2014