AHMEDABAD: Ahead of 2027 assembly elections, the BJP is trying to consolidate its hold over Gujarat’s 55 tribal-dominated assembly constituencies. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 14 Ambaji visit has been cancelled for administrative reasons, the BJP’s tribal outreach drive stays.
With AAP making inroads into the tribal belt, the BJP is banking on a Rs 2,300-crore development package, Birsa Munda’s legacy and Tribal Pride Week to strengthen base 55 seats.
Modi will reach Gandhinagar on the night of November 13. He is scheduled to stay overnight at Lok Bhavan.
“Modi’s visit is significant, with the BJP sharpening its focus on 55 tribal-dominated constituencies,” a party leader said. He said the Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah is coordinated political and development outreach targeting tribal voters.
The Rs 2,300 crore package covering the Ambaji-Umargam tribal belt combines infrastructure development with cultural recognition. The government will distribute 7,112 forest rights certificates and provide records of rights to 11,421 beneficiaries.
Birsa Munda statues will be installed and Shabari booths, traditional tribal ‘haat’ and Johar Cafes serving millet-based food will be established. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi and other ministers will participate in events in the tribal region.
Analysts say that behind the development push lies a challenge: AAP’s expanding footprint in the tribal belt. AAP’s win in Narmada panchayat polls has unsettled the BJP.
The AAP is positioning it as the main opposition in Narmada, Bharuch, Tapi and Dang. Despite efforts to bring tribal leader Chaitar Vasava into the BJP, he has remained with AAP. The discontent, flagged by MP Mansukh Vasava, has complicated matters.
With Modi’s Gujarat visit on, the BJP’s tribal outreach aims at retaining its traditional support base while preventing AAP from turning tribal discontent into an poll advantage in 2027, party leaders said.
