BJP banking on NaMo factor to win all 26 seats in Gujarat

"We will win all 26 seats again," the BJP spokesperson in the state, Bharat Pandya, told Khaleej Times over telephone from Ahmedabad.

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on the NaMo factor to sweep Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat and win 'all 26 seats' when the western state votes in third phase on April 23.
"We will win all 26 seats again," the BJP spokesperson in the state, Bharat Pandya, told Khaleej Times over telephone from Ahmedabad.
Explaining the logic for the confidence of another clean sweep, he said: "The people of Gujarat want to see Aapdo Gujarati (Our Gujarati) get another term as the prime minister and voters will wholeheartedly send all BJP candidates to the Lok Sabha this time also."
The two-time Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Dhandhuka district in Gujarat said that the Congress strategy of dividing votes on the basis of cast won't work this time, like it did in the 2017 state assembly election. "The Congress party used class conflict to get more seats in the state election but that won't work this time," Pandya reiterated.
He also pointed out that dissent in the Congress this time will hurt them big. "Seven MLAs have quit recently and four of them have joined our party," he said and added that the opposition party in the state was a house divided and not in a position to dent BJP vote share in the state this time.
Alpesh Thakor, a Koli-Thakor leader, has left the Congress, alleging that he wasn't getting enough importance in the party and the BJP spokesperson is confident that his exit will hurt Congress, especially in North Gujarat where Alpesh has a strong hold. "Alpesh's exit will definitely hurt them (Congress)," he added.
According to Pandya while the Congress was trying to divide classes and gain votes, the ruling BJP wants to take everyone together. "We believe in 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas' (Inclusiveness for the progress of everyone) and people have seen the fruits of that policy as everyone has benefitted from decisions taken by the ruling party in the last five years."
"As far as Gujarat is concerned, people have seen that during the BJP rule at the centre, the state has got justice and were not 'denied' like they were during the Congress rule at the centre," he said.
Amit Shah's decision to contest from Gandhinagar seat, he pointed out, was in line with BJP giving importance to the state for a very long time. "We have had Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L. K. Advani also contesting from Gujarat."
"With Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) now backing us, we are confident of winning all 26 seats," he enthused.
sunilvaidya@khaleejtimes.com
 

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