Campaigning for first phase of polling in Gujarat came to an end on Friday, 8 December, with less than 24 hours to go before Gujaratis step out to exercise their right to franchise. Seats from south Gujarat, Kutch and Saurashtra are up for grabs, as almost all opinion polls show a close contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
However, just as campaigning ended, more controversy stirred up for both the BJP and the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) in the form of anti-Muslim tirades and new series of sex tapes.
BJP Releases Manifesto
The BJP released its manifesto for the Gujarat elections on Friday, 8 December, with less than 24 hours to go for the first phase of polls.
Manifestos are all but common during election season, with each party laying down a list of promises it would deliver once it assumes power. The Congress released its ‘people’s manifesto’ on 4 December. The party has embraced Patidar reservation and even promised an unemployment allowance to the youth of the state.
In sharp contrast, the BJP released its manifesto only a day before the state goes to polls.
Earlier in the day, party spokesperson Yamal Vyas said, “As it is, the people of Gujarat are aware of the development projects that we have undertaken so far. Not just in Ahmedabad but across Gujarat, people are aware of the good work BJP has done.”
New Sex Tapes
Sex tapes were the flavour this election season, and PAAS leader Hardik Patel its alleged star. A month after the first series of videos were released on social media, new videos surfaced on YouTube, allegedly showing Patel with an unknown woman and a couple of his friends.
The video shows Patel’s friends leaving him in the room with the unknown woman, after which the lights are dimmed and nothing further is seen. Apart from this, more videos from Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Morbi with different women went viral.
The latest video, that has a date stamp of 29 May 2016, went viral 48 hours before the first phase of elections are to start in Gujarat. The PAAS has called it BJP’s conspiracy to malign their leaders and derail the Patidar agitation, which was foiling BJP’s chances to regain power.
BJP Candidate’s Anti-Muslim Rant
On Wednesday, 6 December, the BJP’s candidate from Dabhoi constituency in Vadodara, Shailesh Sotta, sparked controversy during his public speech, when he stated that the Muslim population should be curbed. He tendered his apology first to the Muslims sitting in the sabha, but went on to say:
Topiwalas, daadhiwalas sitting in the audience pardon me, but your population needs to be curbed. Many leaders warned me not to say this, but as I have 90 percent support from the people, I can take on the remaining 10 percent.
A complaint has been filed with the State Election Commission against Sotta, claiming that his comments were communal and highly-instigating in nature. Sotta will take on senior Congress leader Siddharth Patel in the elections.
Battleground Surat
Surat has become a hotbed for anti-BJP sentiments, as the political atmosphere is heavy with Patidar support and the aftereffects of the goods and services tax (GST). On Thursday, 7 December, as part of the final poll campaign, BJP workers were out on the streets of Mahidhapura diamond market, on bikes and SUVs, sporting saffron and the lotus, when angry locals surrounded them and plucked out their BJP bandanas and flags from moving vehicles. As the crowd was strong and aggressive, none of the BJP workers retaliated.
In another video, locals chanted Congress slogans at BJP workers who were on SUVs, and again none of the BJP members retaliated.
Interestingly, since the day the Assembly elections were announced in the state, BJP leaders have avoided public meetings in Patidar-dominated areas.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)