NEW DELHI: "The BJP is not a party which has come into existence only for contesting elections. It has come with a new political character of working for the people and with the people on the time-tested and much-needed mantra of 'Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas'. The nation and the people come first for us, only after that anything else," Chief Minister of poll-bound Gujarat Bhupendra Patel told The New Indian Express on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
Exuding confidence that the BJP would win the upcoming assembly polls, Patel said the work done by the state government under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks for itself. “The people here are the judges of our work. So, there is no chance for any one (read other parties),” said Patel, adding that the state has set an example of developmental politics with the 'Gujarat model'.
Answering queries, Patel claimed that the BJP is the only party that has always stood with the people here during adverse times and will stand with them in future too. “Be it the times of COVID-19 pandemic or other troubled times, the BJP government here has stood with the people. We have worked and we are still working to take the state to a new height of prosperity and peace through inclusive world-class development work,” he claimed.
On being asked whether the BJP takes the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a challenge in the upcoming assembly elections, Patel said, "There is no one who can challenge the BJP. It is a democracy and anyone can come and fight the elections. It is the collective wisdom of people that decides the fate of the state. And truly speaking, the collective wisdom of people here has always been with the BJP and undoubtedly, it would further continue with the BJP."
Asked what would be the main issues on which the BJP would seek a mandate for a seventh term in the upcoming assembly elections, Patel again said it would be on the basis of the work done by the government. “Now we are also working on green energy on a wide scale. We have recently signed an MoU of Rs 10,400 crore with Japan and another MoU of Rs 5000 crore with Reliance to work on green energy. This would make Gujarat the state with the maximum utility and availability of green energy," the CM said. He also said Gujarat is speedily becoming “Aatmanirbhar’ with all-round development through good governance.
“Gujarat has topped in the competitive ranking of good governance working on the guidelines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others. We are ensuring citizen centric services to all,” Patel said.