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Bharat Bandh: Support in Saurashtra, north Gujarat, muted in south Gujarat

Surat which had remained rock solid with BJP during the elections witnessed a muted response with the majority of businesses running as usual

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The response to Congress-sponsored Bharat-bandh received a varied response in various parts of the state. Saurashtra and north Gujarat, where the party had bagged maximum seats in the elections to Gujarat Legislative Assembly last year, witnessed significant support from people and businessmen alike.

Surat which had remained rock solid with BJP during the elections witnessed a muted response with the majority of businesses running as usual. In Ahmedabad city, a significant share of businesses in the eastern part of the city participated in the bandh while the response was mixed in the western part of the city.

Sources and business and industry said that bandh evoked a significant response in north Gujarat. "Unjha APMC was totally closed. All the markets in agriculture products, as well as shopping hubs in North Gujarat, have remained shut. The impact is visible in both rural and urban areas," said Vishnu Patel, secretary, Unjha APMC.

Saurashtra is another area where more business establishments remained closed during the day. Shivlal Barasiya, president, Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that shops had remained closed voluntarily but volunteers from BJP and police were forcing businessmen to open their shops. "Businessmen became victims of political crossfire as police and volunteers of BJP were forcing them to open their shops while those from Congress were asking them to shut down the shops" he said.

Ashok Punjabi, president of Gujarat Pradesh Unorganised Workers Congress attributed the response to the bandh in the region to the influence of its leaders like Paresh Dhanani, the leader of the opposition in state Legislative Assembly.

However, most business establishments in Surat and other regions in south Gujarat stayed away from the bandh. Jayesh Patel, president of Gujarat Khedut Samaj said that Congress does not have a leader in the area that can influence people. "Surat people are with BJP, come what may. Congress does not have leaders that can influence people. In fact it was this region that had saved the day for BJP during legislative assembly elections," said Jaylal, president of Surat Vividh Vepari Mahamandal.

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