SURAT/RAJKOT/AHMEDABAD: As the Land Rover of Prime Minister Narendra Modi made through the streets of Mota Varachha area of Surat on Sunday evening; accompanied by the battery of black SUVs flashing the red and blue beacons, the slogans that echoed in the backdrop may not be very pleasing to the state BJP leaders. The chant was Kejriwal!
Of course, while BJP supporters term this particular stretch and episode as an anomaly, where AAP has emerged strongly in the last municipal elections of Surat, what lies behind the chants is a steady wind of change or a Parivartan. It might be too far-fetched to see a change in the ruling party of the state, but certainly, this is reflective of the state’s mood to have an alternate strong opposition in Gujarat.
While the municipal elections of Surat AAP bagged 28 of the 120 seats, it also gave a result, in which, the Congress was completely wiped out from the scene. And with that, the AAP started being looked upon as the only alternative which can play the role of constructive opposition in Gujarat.
“We have tremendous respect for PM Narendra Modi and the way he is leading India in the world stage, but it’s important to have a stable government in the state with a strong constructive opposition in the interest of a healthy democratic set up,” said Kantilal Sohagia, who runs an agency, Uniglobe, that provides immigration and visa solutions to students and aspirants of Gujarat eyeing overseas opportunities.
Sohagiya strongly believes that Gujarat now sees an able opposition in AAP for which the BJP leadership at least realised the need to sack an incompetent state government and take corrective actions in recent past. Even Divyesh Dabhi a young entrepreneur and a resident of Rajkot-South says that in the Saurashtra region in view of Congress’ inability and non-performance, people were being taken for granted by the state government. “But now it is clear that the BJP is taking the elections and the needs of the people seriously.”
It is a fact, that while corrective measures have been adopted the BJP is heavily banking on the good will and popularity of just one man. Narendra Modi. It is evident that the extra efforts that are being put in by the BJP; with the PM and other national leaders making multiple trips, “is surely not because of Congress’ resurrection as formidable force, but the emergence of AAP as a credible face of opposition in the state,” says the member of an eminent family of Ahmedabad.