Surat: Majura constituency is one of the 12 assembly seats in Surat city where Congress candidate had managed to get just 31,000 votes against BJP candidate's 1,03,000 in 2012 elections.
The assembly seat has a significant number of voters who are textile traders and also those who had migrated to the city from North India. If textile traders are angry with the central government over GST, people from North India hold a grudge against it because there aren't enough trains to their home towns. The constituency has around 2.3 lakh voters, and of them only 1.5 lakh are Gujaratis. Congress leaders feel the party has a good chance of winning the seat this time because majority of voters here are unhappy with the central government.
"This is a typical urban seat. More than caste or creed, one needs acceptability from all sections of people to win here. The BJP candidate was unknown, yet it won due to a BJP wave last time. However, the situation is different this time," said Dhanpat Jain, who was the Congress candidate to lose in 2012 from Majura.
A housewife of a textile trader says demonetization in November 2016 took all her savings away. "I may not vote for the party this time," said Resma Agarwal.
"If 65,000 textile traders voters, 20,000 north Gujarat voters and 15,000 north Indian voters cast their votes for one party, it will definitely cruise to victory. These segments of society have some complaints with the BJP. Therefore, it is not going to be easy for us," a BJP leader said.
"We are telling textile traders that the GST will be simplified to a great extent by November 10, and they look convinced. Only textile traders can't help you win this seat. They are in good numbers but can't influence election here," another BJP leader said.
The assembly seat has a significant number of voters who are textile traders and also those who had migrated to the city from North India. If textile traders are angry with the central government over GST, people from North India hold a grudge against it because there aren't enough trains to their home towns. The constituency has around 2.3 lakh voters, and of them only 1.5 lakh are Gujaratis. Congress leaders feel the party has a good chance of winning the seat this time because majority of voters here are unhappy with the central government.
"This is a typical urban seat. More than caste or creed, one needs acceptability from all sections of people to win here. The BJP candidate was unknown, yet it won due to a BJP wave last time. However, the situation is different this time," said Dhanpat Jain, who was the Congress candidate to lose in 2012 from Majura.
A housewife of a textile trader says demonetization in November 2016 took all her savings away. "I may not vote for the party this time," said Resma Agarwal.
"If 65,000 textile traders voters, 20,000 north Gujarat voters and 15,000 north Indian voters cast their votes for one party, it will definitely cruise to victory. These segments of society have some complaints with the BJP. Therefore, it is not going to be easy for us," a BJP leader said.
"We are telling textile traders that the GST will be simplified to a great extent by November 10, and they look convinced. Only textile traders can't help you win this seat. They are in good numbers but can't influence election here," another BJP leader said.
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