BJP sources attribute the party’s defeat in Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) elections to en bloc voting by Muslims in favour of Congress.
BJP sources attribute the party’s defeat in Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) elections to en bloc voting by Muslims in favour of Congress.
“The city has about 20 to 22 per cent Muslims, who voted heavily - up to 75 to 80 per cent in a few wards - in favour of the Congress and that proved fatal for the BJP," said a senior party leader. "Moreover, committed party workers, who were working for the party for the past many years, were unhappy with senior leaders being fielded for the JMC poll. Besides, internal rift and allegations of corruption seem to have influenced people to vote for the Congress," a party source said.
"The strategy to field Muslim candidates has proved fatal for the party for a second time in the recent past," said another party source. "In by-elections to Patan and Savarkundla municipalities last month, the BJP had fielded Muslim candidates, but they were trounced at the hustings," the source said, adding, "It is also possible that committed Hindu voters turned against the party as it was trying to woo Muslim voters."
The Congress hailed its victory. "BJP has been shown the door by the people of Junagadh," State Pradesh Congress Committee president Siddarth Patel said. "The BJP had put up candidates like former Union minister and other big names of Junagadh but they lost elections. The chief minister (Modi) tried every trick but people of Junagadh have shown them the door," he said.
"This result proves that the Congress has also made a mark in the urban centres of Gujarat," Patel said.
Congress’ election in-charge Nishit Vyas told DNA that BJP used all kinds of strong-arm tactics, "by fielding criminals booked under PASA, abducting our candidates three days before the polls, threatening us with goons and damaging our property, besides fielding Muslim candidates, but nothing worked.”
He added that Congress approached these elections very seriously and adopted a very democratic and secular policy of fielding candidates from all sections of society.
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