On Gujarat BJP list of candidates

Editor’s note, Ahmedabad, 19 March 2014

At first glance, the list of Gujarat candidates declared by BJP today looks fairly safe, balanced, mathematical, sober and practical.

This word ‘practical’ is important here. If you are young, if you are urban, if your interest in politics is just as spectator, you would not understand the importance of balancing act between Kadva Patel, Leuva Patel, Koli, Ahir, Kshatriya etc classes while selecting candidates. Each major segment should feel they have been given chance to represent. This is reality. Then you need to field certain number of women candidates.

The list announced today is not adventurous and whimsical unlike last time(2009) when a doctor treating snake-bite victims was fielded from Valsad and a school/multiplex owner was enforced over local party workers/supporters as candidate of Rajkot seat.

On news channels, the entire day was occupied by dozens of speculative reports quoting sources targeting Advani and Modi.

The chain of speculative reports quoting sources:

-Advani wants to contest from Bhopal and not Gandhinagar.
-Party wants to contest him from Gandhinagar only.
-Advani will contest from Bhopal.
-Rajnath seeks other name for Gandhinagar seat.
-Amit Shah’s name selected for Gandhinagar seat.
-Amit Shah refuses to contest from Gandhinagar.
-Rajnath seeks new name for Gandhinagar seat.
-Party pressing Advani to say yes to Gandhinagar.

The facts, not spicy enough and not according to sources but according to videos are here: A few days ago, L K Advani visited Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar and wished renomination from Gandhinagar. The Gujarat BJP parliamentary board sent three-name panels for 25 seats, but only Advani’s name for Gandhinagar seat paying great respect to this senior leader. Advani has been chosen for India’s one of the safest seats for BJP again.

Then section of anti-Modi media was on job. As predicted, they started questioning a decision to field Modi from two seats. Some facts here in Modi’s support:

-Modi takes his decision on his own or allow his organization to take decision on him. He left his house to become sanyasi, became Swayam sevak and followed RSS orders. RSS sent him to BJP as organizational general secretary, and he started following BJP orders. He was sent to Delhi, HP, Haryana and back to Gujarat, and now to Delhi again. His decisions are his, or his organization’s.

-Contesting from two seats is right given to a person. It’s not crime, it’s not illegal act, it’s not happening for the first time. Vajpayee did it, Indira did it, but they were not attacked like this. To attack Modi is however very convenient!

-A person like Modi must be used as much as the party, the country can. Modi goes to dozens of places across country to address rallies because of his impact. Same way if he fights from two seats when it is allowed, it’s just aimed at its impact over surrounding seats/regions.

-BJP is strong in Saurashtra/Kutch, and part of north and south Gujarat. But Congress has three sitting MPs in central Gujarat. Plus Congress is eying one more seat in this region. Vadodara is geographical headquarters of central Gujarat region. If Modi contests from here and if it creates impact over surrounding seats, what’s wrong in it? And why party should not take benefit of charismatic and popular leader like Modi by fielding him?

-The question that which seat he would vacate will be asked to him before the election. Just wait for his answer. Even if he clarifies he is going to vacate X seat, voters there will elect him against all media/opponent/intellectual debates. Is this election only about electing MP after all? When Vajpayee came to contest from Gandhinagar, the people here knew he would vacate this seat and select Lucknow to continue, but people in Gandhinagar voted overwhelmingly for him. Similarly, when Advani fought both Delhi and Gandhinagar, it was almost clear that he would leave Gandhinagar seat(which he didn’t do), but people voted him in best possible manner in Gandhinagar.

-There’s no or negligible noise around Modi’s two-seat fight on the ground actually at this point, but some TV journos camping in Varanasi are attempting their best to generate such noise on camera and amplify it through constant debates. Print will of course follow, and opposition leaders are there to attack on same line. If the sentiment is not natural, fake amplification will not work.