Gandhinagar, June 23 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday kicked off 17th Shala Praveshotsav from Mehmadpur village in Vadgam assembly constituency of Banaskantha district, while Education Minister Jitu Vaghani was the chief guest at Ruppur village in Becharaji constituency in Mehsana district. Both centres are in north Gujarat.
Political analysts of Gujarat feel whether it is selection of a place for a government programme or for the party, the BJP always has political maths behind it.
There are 32 assembly constituencies in five districts of north Gujarat. In 2017 assembly elections, Congress won 17 and BJP 14, independent candidate Jignesh Mevani won from Vadgam constituency, who was supported by the Congress.
Since 1985, out of the eight general elections in Vadgam, the Congress won four times, BJP twice, once each by Janata Dal and Independent candidate. Another constituency in north Gujarat, Becharaji which was carved out after 2009 delimitation, have returned both Congress and the BJP once.
Dilip Patel, a senior journalist, said that as the BJP is not very strong in north Gujarat, so the party is working hard to get back to the roots. In 2017 elections, its second big leader Shankar Chaudhary too lost the election.
Patel said, the BJP is using all its resources to gain upper hand in north Gujarat and has designed its strategy accordingly. Vadgam is considered a Congress bastion, and the BJP has not been able to make inroads here. Similarly, Becharaji constituency is Thakor dominated and north Gujarat Thakors are die hard Congress voters, that is why BJP is investing so much in these constituencies, he said.
Hari Desai, another political analyst said, there is always political calculation in selecting a venue for event. The BJP is more professional than any other party. It seems that the party has made prestige issue to win Vadgam seat this time, that is why the party admitted two Congressmen Manibhai Vaghela and Balkrishna Jirawala into the party. Recently, even AIMIM organised a meeting in the constituency to split Muslim votes, so the orchestra is set, how the music plays, it remains to been seen.
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