Ahmedabad:
The Gujarat election campaign today saw a battle over dreams – who sells them, should people buy them, and those that will never come true. In the first blow, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Dream businessmen will not succeed in Gujarat,” to which AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal retorted: “Yes, he is absolutely right. Don’t believe it at all.” Those who said that they will bring back black money and give you Rs.15 lakh each.”
Mr Shah was speaking from Delhi via video call to inaugurate some projects in his Lok Sabha constituency Gandhinagar. He said the BJP would not only retain power in his home state but also get a “thumping majority” in the December elections.
When Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal was asked in Ahmedabad, he said, “I agree that people should not trust those who sell false dreams…instead, trust those who have already got electricity in Delhi and Punjab.” Free, and will make it free. In Gujarat too.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been campaigning aggressively in Gujarat for the past few weeks, making frequent visits.
The back and forth is the latest in a larger debate over subsidies or “free gifts” that the BJP opposes. The AAP, as well as many other parties, consider welfare schemes essential to “people-friendly” governance.
Amit Shah claimed that Gujarat is in favor of the BJP: “I know the people of Gujarat well, they recognize the people for their work. And those who really work are with the BJP.” The party has ruled Gujarat continuously since the turn of the century, and was a launch pad for PM Narendra Modi, who was chief minister for 12 years. A confident Amit Shah said, “Our victory is a pre-determined conclusion.”
Mr. Kejriwal stuck to a sarcasm, “The BJP is dreaming. I am surprised that Amit Shah is speaking against his own party. He is saying ‘don’t trust the dream sellers’.”
Referring to Narendra Modi’s pre-2014 election promise, he said, “So whoever comes and says that they will deposit Rs 15 lakh in your bank account, don’t trust them at all.”
That promise was a “jumla” (form of speech), Amit Shah said a few years ago, “what it really means is that enough money can be brought back to spend Rs 15 per person on development”. But the specifics, if any, were lost and the word “jumla” stuck – ammunition that rival parties continue to use.
For AAP, Gujarat is its next big project after starting 2022 with a win in Punjab, where it formed its second state government after Delhi six months ago. It tried to break into Gujarat in 2017 too, but failed miserably. It performed less than expected in Punjab at that time. This time, it will hope to take the momentum of Punjab to Gujarat.
Mr. Kejriwal has been leading AAP’s campaign and with some camera-friendly programs and some camera-friendly programs like dinner at the auto-rickshaw driver’s house in Ahmedabad. That dinner – which is reminiscent of a similar stop in his Punjab campaign – made headlines when police asked him not to travel by auto, citing security reasons. He went ahead nonetheless, and later attributed the police action to “BJP’s fears about AAP’s success”.