MODI has it easy

Statesman News Service, 24 December

GANDHINAGAR, Dec. 23: Gujarat today voted chief minister Mr Narendra Modi back to power for another five-year term, in an election which he fought entirely on his own steam and in his own terms. Mr Modi will be elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party tomorrow. After being elected leader he will stake claim to form a government. Mr Modi will be sworn in as chief minister for the third time on Thursday.

Interestingly, while the BJP managed a sweeping win all over the state, except in central Gujarat, seven ministers of the Modi Cabinet lost this election. They are Mr IK Jadeja, Mr Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Mr Prabhatsinh Chauhan, Mr Kaushik Patel, Mr Ratilal Sureja, Mr Dilip Thakor and Mr Chatrasinh Mari.

For the BJP rebels, it was a worse scenario, as only one, Mr Bavukabhai Undhad, could win out of 10. The big losers were Mr Dhirubhai Gajera and Mr Becharji Badhani, who led the rebel brigade.

The chief minister termed the election result as “a positive vote for the government to continue’’. He told reporters that “the people have rejected negativism. The Gujarat virodhi (opposition) forces have been defeated. The slogan Jeetega Gujarat has got more power after the result’’, he said. Looking ahead, Mr Modi said that in 2010 the state will observe its golden jubilee and he appealed to all parties and people to join hands “for a golden future for Gujarat”.

The chief minister mentioned that the Prime Minister had congratulated him on his victory. When asked whether former BJP chief minister Mr Keshubhai Patel had done the same, he said: “I accept congratulations from any quarter, and even if you congratulate me, I shall accept’’.

Mr Modi, who won from the Maninagar constituency with an increased margin of 87,000 votes, defeating Mr Dinsha Patel of the Congress, termed the win as “a victory of the 5.5 crore people of Gujarat’’. He thanked party workers and central leaders and said the victory “was the result of a joint effort. This is the fifth time the BJP has won since 1990 in Gujarat, Mr Modi pointed out.

Mr Modi indicated that he would address the Vijay Diwas rally in Ahmedabad tomorrow. The election results showed that the BJP has got 50 per cent of the vote share, in an election where voting was above 60 per cent. The Congress has got some 40 per cent of the votes, with the rest going to others. Mr Modi made it clear that his party had won “despite the negative propaganda, language and tricks’’ used by his opponents.

The election results showed that the BJP base has not eroded anywhere, except in central Gujarat, where in 2002 the Godhra verdict turned it into a BJP territory. Saurashtra, which was expected to be the losing ground for the BJP owing to the rebel factor, actually returned more BJP candidates this time around.

The same story was repeated in south and north Gujarat, where the BJP maintained its winning spree.

Though the BJP rebels belonged to Saurashtra, like Mr Keshubhai Patel, and south Gujarat, like Mr Dhirubhai Gajera, this had no effect on the Modi juggernaut. The rebel factor just did not count, and Mr Gajera and Mr Becharji Bahadani, both BJP rebels, contesting on Congress tickets, lost. The Congress, too, was hoping to make a killing in Saurashtra, but could make little headway. The mood at the BJP headquarters was upbeat. Mr Modi told party supporters to attend tomorrow’s rally.
Once it became apparent that Mr Modi was marching to victory, an SMS purportedly sent from the chief minister`s office was received by reporters. The SMS read: Dil Se Modiji, Phir Se (Modi once again). It further said: “I did not become CM on 7.10.2001. I have always been CM, I am CM today and shall be CM for ever. CM means Common Man, for me’’.