Ahmedabad, Opinion, DeshGujarat: How should be Gujarat BJP’s response to Arvind Kejriwal visits?

It should be equal to a response to Gujarat visits of Nitish, Mulayam, Sharad Pawar or Mayavati.

These leaders mentioned in previous line come from major states. They regularly field candidates in Gujarat polls and do visit Gujarat during election season for campaign. I remember Mayavati had addressed a rally at Football ground in Ahmedabad, Mulayam Singh Yadav had addressed an impressive rally in Bhavnagar in the past. Nitish Kumar led JD(U) has one MLA also in Gujarat assembly and he regularly wins his seat. JDU rules Bharuch district panchayat in partnership with Congress.

Now compared to this, Kejriwal is Chief Minister of half-state or say Mayoral state. He doesn’t enjoy influence as wide as the parties listed in previous paragraph. There’s no need for BJP to give so much weightadge to Kejriwal’s Gujarat visit. Response to his visit should be measured and sense of proportion should be maintained.

If Kejriwal does some tamasha for which he is known, or tell something which is untruth then Gujarat BJP may respond to him with a statement based on facts. Like say as an example, Kejriwal unnecessarily mentioned Anandiben Patel while speaking to TV channels in Rajkot and lied that Anandiben canceled his Surat programme(check the facts here). Such untruth must be clarified with facts on hand by BJP.

There have been number of lies showered on social media by Kejriwal’s Delhi cadre about Gujarat. A hut was presented as public school in Gujarat. Years-old picture was presented as today’s photo of Kejriwal’s visit. Handful of AAP cadre spoiled ‘Chitranagari’ walls in Rajkot city and when due to outrage among some alert citizens, the posters were removed, a lie was propagated that Rajkot civic body removed Kejriwal’s posters due to political motives(check the facts here). Media too became partner in propagating this lie.

Instead of getting carried away by hype unnecessarily, there has to be clarity on this issue. If only hype and especially media and social media hype ws enough to climb the political peaks, then after 2012 Gujarat assembly elections Keshubhai Patel could be the Chief Minister and Gordhan Zadafia a deputy Chief Minister, Dinsha Patel and Sweta Bhatt could be winner in Maninagar assembly polls, Sanjeev Bhatt could be DGP of Gujarat and Satish Verma, Rahul Sharma and Kuldeep Sharma were Commissioners, Mallika Sarabhai could be Lok Sabha MP by defeating LK Advani, Arvind Kejwial could be Lok Sabha MP defeating Modi in Varanasi and Rakhi Sawant could be India’s top film heroine.

Kejriwal has given crores of Rupees of advertisements to various newspaper groups, mainly Bhaskar and Times groups. Apart from this, he is newsy character. He is controversial. He lies, takes u-turn, does stunts, passes vicious remarks against those on top. He is comparatively younger and he is from urban-metro backdrop. He has progressed speedily in political career and made his base. People enjoy entertainment being offered by him in constant manner. But that’s it. He has no caliber to get even two seats in Gujarat as of now.

Left, BSP, SP, JDU etc continue to get their share of votes in Gujarat. Kejriwal’s fun fair is nothing beyond this. He has lost his political virginity and his image has been eroded due to corruption and mess in Delhi. Yes hype will be in offer in free flow till the time results of assembly polls are out. Whatever loss BJP may face, it will face due to its own weaknesses and not due to some party or leader and its lies, stunts and hype.

Kejriwal’s publicity schedule:

1. He has been invited to visit Gujarat: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
2. He is going to visit Gujarat: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
3. He is likely to visit Somnath and Surat: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
4. He is coming to Somnath and Surat: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
5. He has canceled Gujarat visit because Anandiben got his Surat event cancelled: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
6. He will visit Gujarat but only Somnath and not Surat: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print
7. He visits Somnath: Few days publicity over social media and couple of days in print

Why  Somnath?

His Gujarat party chief Kanubhai Kalsaria may have advised him that Somnath is the central place of faith in Gujarat which has majority of Hindu population. If he has to get place in hearts of the people of Gujarat, he can identify himself as someone who carries out pilgrimage to Somnath. There are usual issues of farmers with highway authority and railways over land acquisition that he can address on way to Somnath. So cull caps are fine in Delhi and sharing stage with Khalistanis is all well in Punjab, but in majority Hindu state Gujarat where right politics enjoys its domination,  a visit to center place of Hindu faith should be a starting point.

DeshGujarat