New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule of the upcoming crucial assembly elections in Gujarat on Wednesday.
The state polls will witness a direct contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress party which is challenging BJP’s 22-year rule in Gujarat. While the term of the current assembly in Gujarat ends on 22 January 2018, polling in the state is likely to take place in December.
The contest is important for the BJP because Gujarat is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Also, it was Modi’s development message as the state’s chief minister that was instrumental in making him the PM.
The ruling BJP has set a target of Mission 150-plus in Gujarat. Modi has already organised at least five road shows and public meetings in the state, while Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has also held a series of public meetings in the state.
The EC has come under severe criticism from opposition parties with some, including Congress, alleging that the commission was being influenced by the Union government to delay the announcement of Gujarat elections schedule. The Congress party had earlier asked the poll watchdog to immediately announce the dates for the assembly polls in Gujarat. Senior leaders of the Congress said that EC is a constitutional authority and it should not allow the ruling BJP to make last-minute poll promises before the model code of conduct is imposed.
Interestingly, the state has witnessed social churning with protests by the dominant Patel community, Dalits and a section of the other backward classes (OBCs). A major section of all the three communities have traditionally voted for the BJP and it is for the first time that the BJP is facing a challenge from its own voter base.
The Gujrat elections is likely to figure in discussions during the winter session of Parliament, which is expected to start in November and continue till December. The opposition parties, especially Congress, will also the issue of demonetisation and the alleged problems in the implementation of goods and services tax (GST). The two issues would also be taken up by the opposition