BJP set to promote govt’s...........

Ahead of local polls, BJP set to promote govt’s EWS package

The BJP Saturday began four-day marathon meeting with all office-bearers from across the state to shape up the strategy for the forthcoming local body elections. Held in the backdrop of the Patidar agitation, which has continued in form of “lollipop protest”, the state leadership wants its local leaders, especially Patels, to go back and make voters understand the education package recently announced by the Anandiben Patel government, targeting the economically weaker section from upper castes.

At a number of places in Ahmedabad and Rajkot, the Patidars, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s mask on, were seen distributing lollipops on the streets. The education package, worth about Rs 1,000 crore, offers scholarships in higher education and age relaxation in the government jobs. But the package has been termed “lollipop” by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), which is leading the agitation for OBC status and reservation benefit. The sources say the BJP wants its workers and leaders to have a clear understanding about the package and take forward the message up to booth level, to the agitating Patidars, who have for over two decades formed the vital vote bank for the party. After the talks between the government and the PAAS have failed, the PAAS has warned the BJP of consequences in local body elections. Over 300 local bodies, including six municipal corporations, are scheduled to go to polls in October.

“All the office-bearers, including board chairman, corporation, nagarpalika, taluka and district panchayat representatives, MP, MLAs, Mayors and district in-charges will be part of the meet held at Shri Kamalam at Koba in Gandhinagar,” said spokesperson Harshad Patel. “For the four-day meeting, office-bearers will be called in from each district for discussions with senior leaders,” Patel added. State president R C Faldu, Gujarat in-charge and national general secretary Dr Dinesh Sharma and national joint organisational secretary V Satish have been holding meetings with the groups. “The party wants its Patel leaders to take the details of the education package to the caste leaders and voters. The idea is to bridge the gap that has come up due to the now two-month-old agitation that began from Mehsana and soon engulfed the entire state,” said a BJP leader.

The official press release from the BJP claims that the package has found wide acceptance and now it will be taken by the party up to the booth level. But the scattered protests by the Patidars in the state suggest otherwise. The fate of the local body elections will be known on September 28 when the SC will hold the hearing for the first time after it ordered stay on the elections on September 4, by questioning the multi-member system adopted by Gujarat.