BJP sees wafer-thin victory margin in several seats

A poll assessment made by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party shows that the BJP would capture Mehsana, Patan, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha constituencies in North Gujarat region but the victory margin would be wafer-thin on all four seats."The erosion in BJP votebank is attributed to anti-farmer policies of the Modi government. The farmers are still annoyed because of the steep increase in power tariff introduced by the BJP govt."

A senior BJP leader who received the details of the quick survey carried out by the party in 26 seats, on Monday claimed that the victory margin of Kutch candidate Pushpdan Gadhvi which was a meagre 4,000 votes in 1999, would cross over 10,000 this time.And similarly the victory margin of Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani in Gandhinagar, Harin Pathak in Ahmedabad and Dr Vallabh Kathiria in Rajkot would shoot up and their lead would improve considerably than their previous victories in 1991,1996,1998 and 1999.

Advani had defeated former chief election commissioner TN Seshan with a margin of around 1.8 lakh votes while Pathak's margin was of around 53,000 votes and Kathiria’s lead was around 1.75 lakh.

The survey has identified Porbandar, Amreli, Kapadvanj, Anand, Mandvi and Valsad as "difficult BJP seats" and the party is not in position to predict outcome of these six seats.The survey has painted a grim picture of the BJP's prospects on several seats including Kapadvanj from where Shankersinh Vaghela has contested. "We are not sure of our victory either in Mandvi and Valsad constituencies in South Gujarat," the survey has stated.

In Mandvi, the BJP candidate Mansinh Patel and the party leaders have failed to persuade Patel voters of at least 40 villages who were opposed to antifarmers policies of Modi government and had taken active part in farmers agitation spearheaded by the Gujarat Khedut Sangharsh Samiti, the survey said.The Congress was ahead by over 70,000 votes in various segments of the Lok Sabha constituency in Assembly elections. While Manibhai Chaudhary renominated by the BJP from reserved Valsad constituency has "not risen to the expectations of the people and this has tarnished his image."

Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said, "This is an indicator of how the people have rejected the BJPNDA’s feel-good factor." Gohil added that the ‘managed’ prepoll surveys had predicted that the NDA would secure upto 330 seats, but the exit polls now show that the trend has changed and the Congress is heading towards forming a government.

Said Gohil, "Also, our alliance partners are faithful, while the BJP’s partners are power-hungry." Former MLA Siddharth Patel said, "The NDA is unlikely to secure a clear majority, and two more phases of polling are still to come. If this trend continues, the Congress will surely be able to form a government."

Former deputy chief minister Narhari Amin, agreeing with Patel, said, "We have been saying since long that the BJP-led NDA will not get more than 250 seats." Sounding absolutely sure of ousting the NDA, Amin said, "Today even Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav are not ready to form a government with the BJP. So the chances of a Congress-alliance government are greater."

Ex-CM Shankersinh Vaghela reiterated his optimism he showed at public rallies, but added that "exit polls have a very limited sample-size which cannot reflect the real situation. They can in fact influence the polls".

"Instead of asking people about who they voted for, in a secret ballot, they should ask them about which issues concern them most," he said.

Nearly 85 per cent of the gas would be used in the industrial sector, while the rest in the transport sector.

The gas pipeline which carries gas from the distribution centre has already reached up to the AEC in Vatva in Ahmedabad and IFFCO in Kalol in Mehsana district.

"Within a fortnight the distribution network will start being operational," claimed P Jagatheesa Pandian, managing director of GSPC, adding, "The land made available for drilling along the sea coast in Hazira is likely to enhance the local gas production from the current 35 lakh cubic metres to 50 lakh cubic metres."

As for the Gujarat Day celebrations, an official note said, they will be inaugurated by Governor Kailashpati Mishra on April 30 with "Jalshakti Abhishek", a religious ceremony celebrating the river Tapi on Surat coast. The ceremony will include lighting 45,000 lamps and floating them in Tapi. On the May 1, Modi, Union textile minister Kashiram Rana and ministers of the Cabinetwill watch a cultural programme that includes Ganesh Vandana, Bharat Natyam, Katthak and Gujarat folk dances.

It is believed that Gujarat-based cricketers Parthiv Patel and Irfan Pathan will be felicitated on the occasion, the official note said, adding, the plan is to involve the entire population of Surat on that day, almost in the same way as done in Vadodara a year ago. While South Gujarat University would be rechristened on the day by calling it "Veer Narmad South Gujarat University," as Gujarati poet Narmad belonged to Surat, there will be exhibitions and other programmes showing the progress of Gujarat under Modi.