(G.N.S) Dt. 27
Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar
As per reports received from different sources the complete lockdown will affect BJP leadership in Gujarat for upcoming polls. The state leadership of the BJP recently held a video conference with leaders of municipal corporations, municipalities, district and taluka panchayats, to gauge the impact of the lockdown on the party’s prospects in the coming polls.
Polls in Gujarat for six municipal corporations, 150 municipalities, and all district and taluka panchayats are likely to be held in October 2020.
But the response received from the cadre was that there is widespread disgruntlement among voters as the lockdown has hit them financially. With economic activity and employment has gone out of gear, the general sentiment is one of anger. The party cadre conveyed to the leadership that unless a slew of relief measures are announced, the BJP could suffer electoral losses in the local elections.
As per source in Gujarat BJP’s core decision making body who was involved in getting response/feedback from the field level cadre, said, “The local leadership clearly stated that the post-lockdown period will be challenging for the party. The disappointment of the people could reflect in the local elections scheduled for October.”
The source also said that the government usually announces a slew of measures to woo voters in election years, but all capital expenditure will be put on hold because of the lack of financial resources and revenues dwindling because of the lockdown. “The tendering process for various development activities will be delayed because of the lockdown and the monsoon will set in in June. So basically, the government will not be able to showcase any real work till the end of September,” the source said.
Earlier, MP and MLA grants were also useful in wooing voters, but these grants have also been deposited with the treasury for a period of one year, to combat the pandemic, the source said. “With people from all sections of society having faced hardships due of the lockdown, it will be a big task for the party cadre to woo voters. However, we will fine-tune our strategy once the lockdown is lifted and things return to normal,” the source said.
Is BJP in tension regarding the upcoming polls in the state after this lockdown period..??
