Jasdan: The election campaign for December 20 Jasdan Assembly by-poll in Gujarat, which is being seen as the ‘battle of prestige’ for both ruling BJP as well as main opposition Congress ended this evening.

While BJP organized a big rally and road show from Bichhiya to Santhali on the last day today the Congress pitched in Punjab Minister and cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Siddhu for a last moment election rally.

In the BJP road show minister Jayesh Radadiya was also present in the open jeep of BJP candidate Kunvarji Bavaliya while state party president Jeetu Vaghani was riding a motor cycle. They later told newsmen that seeing its imminent defeat, Congress was indulged in spreading lies and taking help of anti social elements.

Siddhu in the last Congress rally, which was also attended by GPCC president Amit Chavda, LoP Paresh Dhanani, former GPCC presidents Siddharth Patel, Bharatsinh Solanki in presence of party candidate Avsar Nakia, hit out at BJP and PM Modi in his own style.

Bavaliya, a five time former MLA from this seat who was also Loksabha MP for one term, had resigned from the seat and Congress party on July 3 this year and joined the ruling party the same day. He was inducted as a minister also that day. He had alleged that Congress was ignoring senior leaders like him. The by-poll has been necessitated due to his resignation only.

Notably Jasdan is deemed as a bastion of Congress where the party had faced defeat only once. Bavaliya claims that it was because of him.
The by-poll to be held on December 20 is being seen as a war-of-prestige for both BJP and Congress. The counting of votes will be done on December 23.

Bavaliya and Nakiya both belong to majority Koli community on this seat in Rajkot district.

Notably, there were a total of 8 candidates in the fray for the by-poll.

Jasdan by-poll in Gujarat historic,
vital for existence of Congress, Rahul’s prestige also at stake:Navjot Sidhu

Jasdan:Cricketer turned Politician and Minister in the Congress government of Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu today said that the Jasdan assembly by-poll in Gujarat was a ‘historic election’ in which both the existence of Congress party and prestige of its president Rahul Gandhi were at stake.

Addressing a last minute election rally here Sidhu also took a jibe at PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other leaders of his former party BJP.

He said that after victory in MP, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan, the win in Jasdan, a known Congress bastion would be a major boost for the party. ‘This is a historic election which would decide the existence of the Congress party. The prestige of Rahul Gandhi is also at stake in the election,’ the Congress leader said in his own typical style.

He said that BJP and PM Modi were making several false promises even as several earlier promises were still unfulfilled.

Sidhu alleged that BJP was working for rich and Industrialists. ‘It has waived Rs 45000 crore of Ambani and Rs one lakh crore of Adani and thousand of crores of other Industrialists but it has no feeling for poor farmers. Farmers are kings but the BJP has turned them in to beggars. Now that BJP has smelt its imminent defeat in Jasdan, it was trying to give a hollow lollipop to farmers in the form of Rs 650 crore electricity bill due waiver,’ he claimed.

He said that BJP despite being in power in Gujarat for more than 22 years has not waived the farmer’s loan while Rahul Gandhi did so within 22 minutes after the declaration of election results in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. ‘In the next four moths the bad days are going and Rahul Gandhi is coming and then I promise on his behalf that there won’t be even a single penny of debt on Gujarat farmer’s too. I request you all to not accept the temptation of wine and money and vote for Congress as there is so much at stake in this historic bypoll. It will also decide about the existence of Congress,’ the Punjab minister said.

In his own style he also threw several challenges to the BJP leadership and said that the way BJP was caring only for rich and Industrialists he wonders whether it was dancing to their tunes. He also raised the issues like demonetization, GST, Rafale deal etc to hit out at the BJP. He also questioned as to why the BJP government was not declaring the names of those who had stashed black money of Rs 90 lakh crores outside the country.

Notably, December 20 by poll is necessitated due to resignation of five time Congress MLA Kunvarji Bavaliya in July this year. He had resigned from the party and the seat to join ruling BJP after which he was inducted in Rupani cabinet. Jasdan is seen as a Congress bastion where the party has so far lost just once. Bavaliya is now BJP candidate from the seat. The counting would be done on December 23.

DeshGujarat