The upcoming local body elections in Gujarat will be a fight of equals between the Congress and BJP after former chief minister Narendra Modi’s exit from the state.
As many as six municipal corporations including Ahmedabad, 253 municipalities, 208 taluka panchayats and 26 district panchayats are expected to go for the polls to be held in October 2015.
The local bodies poll will be held in absence of former Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who had his stamp on the politics of the state for the last 12 years and it is being said that the polls for the first time after his exit will be a fight among equals as both the side lacks charismatic mass leaders.
The Congress, seeing a chance of its revival in the state, is working hard to gain acceptance once again among people as it has launched various outreach programmes to have direct contact with people.
The BJP on other hand has also started preparations well in advance to retain their stronghold.
“People are seeking options to the long misrule of the BJP-led government in the state. The Congress has to gear up to convince people that they are the right option to BJP,” recently appointed state Congress unit Chief Bharatsinh Solanki told PTI.
“We have started extensive preparations at all levels to be a credible option to BJP,” he said.
“The Congress is viewing this as an opportunity after the exit of Narendra Modi from the scene of Gujarat politics and has geared up to take the benefit of the situation. As the BJP does not have any mass based leader at present like Modi so it will be a fight of equals,” another Congress leader said.
“We have brought some radical changes in the working of the party state unit like appointing those who are really working for party in key state posts. We have also appointed region wise in-charges and also beefed up our membership drive to strengthen our organisations to booth level,” state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.