MC polls: PM Modi, Shah, Nadda thank cadres, people of Gujarat

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 23

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and party president JP Nadda, on Tuesday hailed the people of Gujarat and their cadres for the success of the party in municipal corporation elections, which came as a major shot in the arm for the saffron party amid the ongoing farmers agitation and issues like rise in fuel prices and unemployment.

With Assembly elections due next year in the home state of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, these elections are being seen as indicator of the voters’ mood. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister thanked Gujarat for “clearly showing the unwavering faith of the people towards politics of development and good governance”.

“Thank you Gujarat! results of municipal elections across the state clearly show the unwavering faith people have towards politics of development and good governance.

“Grateful to the people of the state for trusting BJP yet again. Always an honour to serve Gujarat. I would like to appreciate the efforts of each and every Karyakarta of BJP Gujarat.

“Today’s win across Gujarat is very special. For a party that is serving in a state for over two decades to record such a phenomenal win is noteworthy. It is heartening to see widespread support from all sections of society, particularly the youth of Gujarat towards BJP who reached out to people and elaborated on our Party’s vision for the state. The Gujarat government’s pro-people policies have positively impacted the entire state,” the PM said in a series of tweets.

Coming amid the ongoing farmers’ agitation against, the BJP is viewing the results as an endorsement of the three controversial laws, especially after the drubbing it received in Punjab’ local bodies polls. The BJP retained power in the six municipal corporations, winning 489 of the total 576 seats (as per figures posted by Nadda),

Nadda attributed the “historic win” to the “complete faith, belief and devotion” of all sections, including villages, poor, farmers, traders, women, and youth” in Prime Minister Modi. Nadda and Shah also thanked the people, the party' cadres and the State leadership, CM Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel and state president CR Patil.  All these bodies are currently governed by the BJP.  

While the BJP has an upper hand in elections to urban local bodies, this time, several senior and multiple term corporators were denied tickets, leading to disquiet in the party. Sources say Shah monitored the elections closely. While Congress won some seats, in these elections the surprise package appeared to be the Aam Adami Party.