Sep 20, 2010
Gugarat - Kathlal: The victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in the Kathlal by-election in Gujarat has confirmed Chief Minister Narendra Modi's appeal in the state. Modi won in a traditional Congress bastion with a large Muslim population and the election result could redefine his political career.
Ayub Chauhan, 35, is one of the Muslim voters of Kathlal constituency in Central Gujarat who voted for the BJP. It's for the first time BJP won the Assembly constituency and Chauhan does not want to be left out of Gujarat's development story being scripted by Modi.
"We thought it's our Congress and kept voting for it. But the BJP is in Gujarat and everybody is benefiting. We thought why we should be left out," said Ayub Chauhan.
It is not just Ayub Chavan, others too echo similar sentiments. BJP supporters blame the Congress for neglecting their welfare in the past 50 years.
"This time round, we decided to work together. We told our Muslim brothers. Come with us. We will make BJP's Kanu Dabhi win," said BJP sympathiser Ghanshyam Patel.
"We had two options. Either to take the road that goes backwards or the one that goes forward. We chose the road ahead," added a Kathlal resident, Irfan Malik.
The Kathlal Assembly has traditionally been a Congress seat with 65 per cent of the 1.75 lakh voters being Muslims. The defeat is an embarrassment to the Congress and a blow to leader Shankersinh Vaghela in charge of the campaigning here.
Modi was quick to call the result a referendum, especially by Muslims, on the alleged misuse of the CBI by the Congress.
"A lesson has been taught to those who do vote bank politics in the name of secularism. Gujarat's Muslims have taught these people a lesson," said Modi.
It is not the first time that Modi has proved his critics wrong. Contrary to popular perception, he rode back to power in the 2007 Assembly elections. Now, with his close confidante Amit Shah in jail and the CBI hot on his heels, Modi has stormed yet another Congress bastion.
No comments:
Post a Comment