'Wait till results are out,' says Congress on Gujarat Elections

Congress also AAP and AIMIM alleging that they were B-teams of the BJP aiming to cut Congress votes to enable the saffron party’s win

Congress on Friday exuded confidence that it will overthrow the BJP government in Gujarat in the upcoming elections, riding on its silent door-to-door campaigning and an effective booth management put in place for the first time in years.

The party also warned against AAP and AIMIM alleging that they were B-teams of the BJP aiming to cut Congress votes to enable the saffron party’s continuance in the government.

Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor told a press conference that there is anger against the ruling BJP claiming that it was evident when they had to curtail the Guarav Vikas Yatra.

“A perception was being created that Congress was not in the Gujarat election scene. I will only say wait till the results are out. We will win more than 125 (out of 182) seats and form the government,” Thakor said.

He said Congress’s prospects could be read from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks during a programme in Gujarat where he warned BJP workers to not be complacent as the opponent was silently working on the ground.

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“Our strategy is proper booth management and door-to-door campaigning. Rahul Gandhi has already met booth level workers on September 5, two days before he embarked on Bharat Jodo Yatra. We have data. We are doing booth level management at this level for the first time in years,” he said.

On October 28 and 30, the party is organising five ‘Adivasi Sammelans’ in the tribal belt of the state. In some of these programmes, Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior party observer Ashok Gehlot will be participating.

On October 31 on the occasion of Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary and Sardar Vallabhai Patel’s birth anniversary, Thakor said, they are going to organise five rallies. There will also be six-day, eight-day yatras in parts of Gujarat.

He said the state unit has requested both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to campaign in Gujarat. The list of Congress candidates is likely to be announced later this month, as the Central Election Committee is meeting on October 26 afternoon after the Screening Committee has submitted a list of probables.

Thakor said some people were talking about AAP but one should understand that they went to Goa and garnered 6 per cent votes and to Uttarakhand where they got 5 per cent votes with an intent to prevent the Congress from defeating the BJP.

“AAP and AIMIM are the B-teams of BJP. They don’t have cadre on the ground. There are no block or district presidents. There are no booth-level workers. They have paid workers. The two parties’ only aim is to create trouble for the Congress,” he said.

He alleged that the Election Commission did not announce the poll dates for Gujarat along with Himachal Pradesh to enable the Prime Minister to attend programmes.

“These are not BJP programmes but official programmes. Taxpayers' money is misused for election campaigns. Around Rs 12 crore is spent for each programme. Officials are tasked to bring beneficiaries of schemes to these programmes,” he alleged.