Both candidates are using ailing diamond industry and development as the poll plank.
BJP’s Harin Pathak seeking seventh consecutive LS term
Harin Pathak is a 'lucky' leader of the BJP for he is among the four sitting MPs in Gujarat who have been re-nominated to fight the forthcoming general elections. He is fighting election for a seventh term from Ahmedabad. The state BJP was keen on replacing Pathak, but his good relations with the party's top national leaders in Delhi gave him a lifeline.
The 62-year-old leader is a seasoned and strong politician who has risen in the party from the lower ranks. Born in 1947, Pathak's educational qualification is BA and BEd, and he worked as a school teacher. He entered politics in 1967 in the then Jan Sangh, the previous incarnation of BJP, with the post of president of Khadia booth committee.
He then became a councillor and the president of BJP youth cell. He jumped in the parliamentary poll fray for the first time in 1989 and then never looked back. He is among senior-most parliamentarians. During the NDA government, he was also minister of state for defence.
Pathak is a strong believer in God and does puja for three hours a day irrespective of his schedule. Santram Maharaj of Nadiad is his religious Guru. We will have to do more groundwork this time because of some change in the area of the constituency following delimitation. He is making rounds of new assembly segments like Dehgam and Gandhinagar South. He is going door-to-door in each village and introducing himself. Though the equations have changed, he is confident of a win this time too.
"I have faith in myself and God. I'm definitely going to win for a seventh time," says Pathak. "Failure of the UPA government and development by the BJP government in the state are the main issues," he said. "I have asked many questions in parliament for the development of my constituency and solved the problems faced by the public," he says.
We'll make education affordable: Babariya
The situation in eastern areas of the city is very grim following lay-offs because of recession. At least two lakh diamond workers are the worst affected. The BJP, which has always sought their vote, has failed to give them any aid. The state government announced a Rs12 crore plan to train these workers, but they are already trained.
We have been working with diamond and textile workers long before elections were announced. We have got aid for their schoolchildren, meeting their other needs and counselling income-less families. Below poverty line (BPL) families have failed to get enough foodgrains, kerosene, oil and other essentials at concessional prices.
The main poll issues in this seat are healthcare and sanitation facilities, and water and electricity availability for the urban poor. Development is the focus of poll campaign. We will canvass for votes on the basis of Manmohan Singh government's success in controlling inflation, nuclear deal, rural employment scheme, RTI etc. The UPA leadership has steered the country out of economic crisis and controlled inflation.
We will highlight the failures of the BJP government. Education is so commercialised - good education is not within the reach of common man. Higher education is very expensive for the middle class. We promise to subsidise education and make it more affordable.
The pitch will be economist Manmohan Singh versus the aged LK Advani as prime ministerial candidate. People will vote for development, a qualified leader and forward-looking ideology. Caste is not a factor among urban electorate.
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