Ahmedabad, 24 March 2014

Small Dehgam town which is part of Ahmedabad(East) Lok Sabha seat today observed bandh against candidature of Mumbai based actor Paresh Rawal on BJP ticket.

Local party workers who were behind today’s bandh call said they are opposing Rawal’s candidature because he is Mumbai based actor. They said they are very much with BJP and eventually will work for party but they are not with this decision of party. They said Harin Pathak had served Dehgam very well, and if not he, any other local person was acceptable, but how Mumbai based Paresh Rawal would be able to serve the people here!

When asked whom they may support in election, party workers hinted they will eventually fall in line. They said they are with party and and will continue to be with party only. They said even Harinbhai will be with party only. It has to be noted that some party workers had burnt Paresh Rawal in effigy yesterday in Dehgam.

While BJP is in power in state, Dehgam assembly seat is represented by Congress MLA in assembly, therefore people approach BJP MP Harin Pathak and his office for local and state govt related works.

Dehgam is only rural area under Pathak’s Ahmedabad East seat. Pathak has addressed the issues of Dehgam town by giving special focus during last five years.

Harin Pathak had received 29,308 votes from Dehgam assembly seat area in year 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Rival Congress candidate had received 27,162 votes out of total valid votes 64,040. Gandhinagar South, Vatva, Nikol, Naroda, Thakkar Bapanagar and Bapunagar are other assembly segments that fall under Ahmedabad East seat. Pathak achieved paper thin majority over rival Congress candidate in Dehgam assembly seat area in Lok Sabha election when he himself was candidate. However he couldn’t ensure party’s victory in Dehgam in the assembly elections against Congress candidate when he was specifically assigned that task by party.

Pathak had addressed a press conference in Ahmedabad yesterday and told media persons that he would announce his line of action in three days after meeting his supporters. Pathak skipped the questions asked on possibilities of his independent candidature. Pathak enjoys good support of people due to his functional offices that serve common visitors. However, according to BJP spokesperson Vijay Rupani, the party believes Pathak has served Ahmedabad for seven terms, now someone else should be given chance.