Anandiben Patel celebrates first year in office as local elections near

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel is on a roll celebrating her first year in office, despite a heat wave. The 73-year-old CM is criss-crossing the state, announcing a slew of welfare programmes over the last week, but with the civic polls scheduled later this year, the political undercurrent of the celebration is hardly missed.

For instance, she was in Kalol in North Gujarat last Friday, attending the foundation stone laying ceremony for a water supply scheme in Aravalli District costing Rs 517 crore along with a meeting with district BJP office-bearers. She inaugurated the Chief Minister’s Housing Scheme and a rehabilitation programme for slum dwellers in Kalol along with a public meeting there. She also attended the Aarti at a temple there in the evening.

On Saturday, she was in Godhra in central Gujarat, inaugurating Govindguru University for tribal populace in the area, apart from visiting tribal dominated Chhota Udepur and her Sunday schedule included functions in Gondal in Rajkot District in the heart of Saurashtra.

For all practical purpose, Patel’s overdrive to reach out to the electorate is underlined by the fact that the forthcoming civic polls, which are often projected as the mini-assembly election would serve as a precursor to the all-important assembly election in 2017. And with the sub-terranian current of dissidence, Patel can ill afford any dent in the saffron stronghold, which has propelled both the prime minister and BJP national president beyond the state limits.

While with the not so subtle rivalry between BJP national president Amit Shah and Patel and the physical absence of two of the greatest vote catchers of the party from the state, the Opposition Congress, which largely has been relegated to the margins is desperate to stage a comeback.

However, unlike grassroot activists of BJP, Congress is relying more on its national leaders to speak to media on various issues. On Sunday, Congress leader Girija Vyas lambasted NDA government, particularly the HRD minister, for “demolishing” the education system while addressing the media in Ahmedabad.

On Saturday, it was Congress Spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi attacking Modi on defence and security and prior to that was Jairam Ramesh and senior Congress leader CP Joshi. Congress is learnt to have identified five areas — social sector schemes, agriculture, human resource development, divisive leadership, and employment and skill development — to take on the government. However, observers maintain that while for Congress it is more of propaganda, the CM is meeting people in every corner of the state.