Less than one and half year left for Gujarat elections: Amit Shah and Ahmed Patel both in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: After the Assam polls victory early this year, BJP leader Ram Madhav who was responsible for party’s election affairs in Assam had told media in an interview that party started preparing for assembly polls one and half year ago. If BJP follows same pattern for Gujarat, the assembly elections here are now less than one and half year away. Be it Vijay Rupani’s placing or appointment of new party president, all these visible changes in the government and the party organization are entirely attached to year 2017 assembly elections. And Congress too is taking stock of the situation and building its strategy.

Amit Shah from BJP and Ahmed Patel from Congress, both heavy-weight Delhi based Gujarati leaders from two main political parties of India were in Ahmedabad yesterday as Gujarat is going to witness general elections of assembly next year in December.

Shah who is in full control of Gujarat BJP and Gujarat government now as he has been assigned the responsibility of Gujarat assembly elections next year was camping in Ahmedabad for nitty-gritty of new cabinet of Chief Minister designated Vijay Rupani and also for selection of new Gujarat BJP president. Shah has met every key person in party organization and state cabinet in last three days. He also met other key players including state police chief P.P.Pandey at his bungalow which was described as courtesy call.

Ahmed Patel was in Ahmedabad to discuss the latest political situation in Gujarat in the backdrop of fresh political developments that have taken place here.

While Amit Shah was operating from his bungalow and also visited state BJP headquarters Kamalam in Gandhinagar, Ahmed Patel camped at Gujarat Congress headquarters in Paldi. Among those who were present in deliberation held at Gujarat Congress headquarters were Madhusudan Mistry Gurudas Kamat and Bharatsinh Solanki. AAP factor, Patidar factor, Una event, party’s weak urban presence were some of the issues discuss in this meeting which went on for four hours on Saturday followed by a press conference by Bharatsinh Solanki.

Even after all rough periods witnessed in last one and half year, anti-incumbency factor which can’t be denied entirely as BJP is in power in Gujarat for over one and half decade and other challenges, BJP in Gujarat at this juncture what it looks, still enjoys upper hand compared to rival Congress party. As Shah has stepped in with complete control over the state affairs and with dedicated focus on year 2017 assembly polls, BJP is likely to make its position further stronger in upcoming days.

One of the primary areas of discussion in Congress meeting held in presence of Ahmed Patel was that whether division in anti-BJP votes possibly by AAP and other possible players can disturb Congress party in year 2017 polls. Party president Bharatsinh Solanki in this connection said in a press conference that AAP was ‘B’ team of BJP.

DeshGujarat