BJP has been in power for 22 years, but it still blames Congress governments for the state’s problems. BJP continues to play victim because it has failed to deliver, and has nothing to show, says Gohil
Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil has said that the Gujarat Assembly elections are not a contest between his party's vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It's a state election and will be contested on local issues. Rahulji is a national leader. He is visiting Gujarat to help and guide us which will benefit us tremendously but the election will not be about him versus Narendra Modi or anyone else," Gohil told DNA.
Modi has visited Gujarat about a dozen times this year, including five times in the past two months. He is also expected to address about 30-odd rallies in the run-up to the polls and is the party's de facto face.
As far as Rahul is concerned, he has visited the western state four times in the past two months, including four days in Saurashtra and three in central Gujarat. He arrives in the state on Sunday for a three-day visit to south Gujarat and will soon travel to the north for two or three days. He is also likely to campaign extensively during the polls.
Gohil said that Rahul's tours in Gujarat have boosted his image. "Rahulji's image was maligned on social media but when people meet him they realise that he speaks what he believes in and does what he says. This is the characteristic of a true leader," the Congress MLA said.
Though the absence of a popular local face has been one of the key reasons for Congress's loss in all Assembly elections in the state since 1995, Gohil ruled out plans to project an individual as its face in the upcoming polls.
"This is our tradition. We contest as a team, and as per democratic conventions, a leader is chosen based on views of the party MLAs. For us, who sits on the chair is not important. It is more important that someone from our party occupies it. This is the mindset with which we are going to fight," he said.
Asked about the issues the Congress's campaign will focus on, he said that his party would talk about the rising cost of education, inadequate electricity supply to farmers, the government's failure to provide homes to all, rising unemployment, and the incomplete Narmada canal works. "BJP has been in power in Gujarat for 22 years and has failed miserably on all counts except in marketing.
But we will not just dwell on BJP's failures, we will offer solutions to people," Gohil added.
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