Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022

A long term strategy was planned against the Congress party in the late 60s, which was executed in a phased manner to tarnish the party's image and create anti-Congress sentiments. A few steps of the Congress worked against it, like the KHAM (Kshatriya- Harijan- Adivasi- Muslim) political strategy pushed away the Patidars and other upper classes from the Congress. As if this was not enough, a 10 per cent increase in OBC reservation in 1985 added fuel to it, creating a deep schism between the upper castes, urban voters and the Congress, says political analyst Manibhai Patel.

Resultantly in 1995 for the first time the BJP formed the government in the state by itself. The ECI's data shows that even though the Congress was at its peak, there were average 37% anti-Congress votes. That used to be divided between the Jan Sangh/BJP and the Janata Party or Janata Dal. The other major development that took place in the 1990s was the sudden demise of CM Chimanbhai Patel while Congress stalwarts like Madhavsinh Solanki and Jeenabhai Darji announced their retirement from active politics

For BJP, Gujarat is not just a state but a laboratory and a model on the basis of which, the party separates itself from other political parties in the country, while on the other side, for Congress, which has been continuously losing elections in the state, performing brilliantly in Gujarat seems to be a question of survival this time. Meanwhile, for AAP spectacular performance in Gujarat is a necessity for strengthening its claim of being an alternative to the Congress at national level.

These Independents and state parties having little grassroots network or even presence are big spoilers because of which 28 candidates of the Congress and the BJP lost elections with as low as a 258-vote margin to as much as 27226 votes. On three seats independent candidates stood at the second place pushing the Congress or the BJP candidates to the third place.

CM Bhupendra Patel filed his nomination from the Ghatlodia constituency earlier in the day. If he gets elected to the state Assembly, it will be his second term as an MLA. Union Home Shah made the statement while addressing party workers before Patel filed his candidature. "BJP is going to win with a thumping majority. People of Gujarat are set to script history in the Indian democracy by electing the highest numbers of BJP MLAs. And post elections, Bhupendra Patel will continue as the Chief Minister."

State Congress President Jagdish Thakor's brother Amtrubhai Thakor has been fielded from Kankrej seat in north Gujarat. Another surprise is turncoat Prabhatsinh Chauhan, who too had recently joined Congress, will be the party candidate from Kalol (Panchmahal) seat. His wife Rageshwari, and daughter-in-law Suman Chauhan are campaigning for BJP candidate Fatehsinh Chauhan from the same seat.

Since this morning, AAP seniors leaders like Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh had been charging the BJP with kidnapping Kanchanbhai as it feared defeat in the next month's Assembly polls.

Till now, Congress holds the record of winning the maximum number of seats ever. In 1985, under Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki's leadership, it bagged as many as 149 seats in the 182-member Assembly. Home Minister Shah, accompanied party's Naranpura candidate Jitendra Patel, Ellisbridge candidate Amit Shah and Sanand candidate Kanu Patel while they filed their candidature forms before the election officer.

AAP’s list of star campaigners for Gujarat comprises 20 names, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Maan, Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, among others. The list also has the name of Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, who was recently under the radder of central probe agencies in connection with the alleged irregularities in Delhi’s liquor policy.

Their fear is that the party is weak in some constituencies, and if the AIMIM fields candidates in those seats, chances of losing will increase. So in the interest of the party, AIMIM should focus on limited seats.