How Modi-led BJP and Rahul-led Congress fought the fierce battle of Gujarat

The battle for Gujarat has been fought. And it has certainly not been a cakewalk for either the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Congress. The campaign for the Assembly polls witnessed everything from name calling to personal attacks to sporadic violence.

The first controversy surrounding the Gujarat Assembly elections was the delayed announcement of polling dates. The Election Commission broke the convention as it declared the dates for Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls on October 13 but did not declare any dates for polling in Gujarat – notably the counting of both the states are taking place on Monday, December 18, 2017.

In 2002-03, the EC had announced the dates for Gujarat elections on October 28, 2002 while the dates for Himachal Pradesh were announced on January 11, 2003. This difference in announcement of dates had come because of the riots in Gujarat, following which the state Assembly was dissolved prematurely. Apart from this, the EC has always been announcing the dates for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections simultaneously.

While the opposition had hit out at the authority for the delayed announcement, the EC defended itself saying it was done to avoid an unreasonably long period of model code of conduct in Gujarat.

However, soon the parties went back to business – reaching out to the voters.

Both the BJP and the Congress were aggressive from the onset. And the battle was led from both ends by the biggest names – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

One target of both the parties was the Patidar community, of which some leaders like Hardik Patel have been up in arms against the ruling BJP in the state. There were attempts by both the parties to woo Patidar leaders.

What added fuel to the fire were few videos. While first came a video of Patidar leader Hardik Patel reportedly meeting Rahul Gandhi in a hotel in Ahmedabad, later came another one – a purported sex CD of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel.

The Patidars, however, finally sided with the Congress. But the “tie-up” came only after its share of drama when some of the Patel community members resorted to violence over the first candidates’ list released by the Congress party. A presser by Hardik Patel came later to pacify the PAAS members wherein he openly declared his support to the Congress, attributing the same to a reservation formula given by the opposition party.

The stage was thus set for the battle to get fiercer. The issue that now came to the fore was religion. One register entry at Somnath temple – still not clear if real or fake – raised questions on the religion of Rahul Gandhi. The opposition embraced the issue and ask the Congress to clarify on the religion of the Gandhi scion, targeting his several visits to temples in the state. Paying heed to the attack, the Congress released three pictures showing Rahul Gandhi perform Hindu rituals. The Gandhi scion himself later told a party meet that his family members are disciples of lord Shiva.

The ruling BJP got another shot in the arm with veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar triggering a row by calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “neech”. The Congress, however, acted swiftly and suspended Aiyar from the party after serving him a showcause notice. Rahul Gandhi also asked Aiyar to offer an apology, and asserted that nothing derogatory must be said about the Prime Minister. But the opposition took up the issue and questioned the opposition party on public platforms. PM Modi himself raised the issue during his rallies, saying it was an insult not to him, but to the Gujarati pride. The damage, if any, caused with this statement to the Congress party is yet to be seen.

However, the opposition got a similar opportunity to target the ruling BJP when the Prime Minister claimed in his rally that Pakistan was trying to influence the results in Gujarat Assembly elections. He cited a dinner attended by former Pakistani officials, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Mani Shankar Aiyar to allege that the neighbouring country was interfering in Gujarat polls. The opposition hit back saying PM Modi was making such statements as he feared defeat. Even Pakistan foreign office issued a statement saying India must not drag it in its political battle.

And if this was not all, there were the likes of OBC Congress leader Alpesh Thakor, who added a humourous element in the last leg of campaign claiming, “PM Modi eats Taiwanese mushroom worth Rs 4 lakh everyday to get fairer”.

Before the battle could end, it was back to square one for both parties as the fight culminated at the doors of the EC, which issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi over the latter’s television interviews after the campaigning date was over. The Congress alleged bias by the constitutional authority.

And then came the icing on the cake with Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a ‘mini roadshow’ after casting his vote in the second phase of polls in Ranip in Ahmedabad. The Congress reached the EC door alleging gross violation of norms by the BJP leader. The opposition even termed the EC as a “puppet” of the Modi government.

Now, after months of intense political war, exchange of personal attacks, and questions on constitutional authorities, the fate of the political parties have been locked. The verdict will be out on Monday. Though the exit polls have suggested a clear victory for the ruling BJP, many still believe that the results may even lead to “political earthquake” in the country.