Working President, Gujarat Pradesh Congress CommitteeJignesh MevaniShankar, representing Vadgam in Banaskantha district, expressed confidence that the Congress would enter the house with success in the coming times. gujarat assembly election, Accompanied by his friend and Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Mr Mevani filed his nomination on Tuesday. excerpts from an interview with of The Hindu acting laxman,
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What are the challenges for the Congress in the Gujarat Assembly elections?
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We are in a better position than last time. we have activist(party officials) in each booth. we have ‘ public friend‘ (Friend of the people) Our Parivartan Sankalp Yatra has started in every panchayat and across the state. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is continuously visiting Gujarat. Secondly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is no longer attractive, acceptable and exciting to the people of Gujarat. at rallies where they [the BJP] able to mobilize 40,000 to 50,000 people, most of them government employees. Instructions are being given to the district administration to bring Asha and Anganwadi workers, police constables and mid-day meal workers. [to the rallies], people are not voluntarily coming to them [the BJP’s] rallies. For the first time, I am of the view that the BJP and RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) cadres are not defending Mr Modi with much enthusiasm. Earlier, when someone used to say something against Mr. Modi, he used to flare up. not anymore. People started saying, tyranny and dictatorship have increased a lot BJP Of‘ (BJP’s intimidation and domineering behavior has increased a lot).
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On which placards do you think the Congress is campaigning?
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Reacting and reacting to what the BJP and the RSS have done, we have come up with a positive, proactive, progressive blueprint to build a New Gujarat. Our leader Rahul Gandhi has already announced free medical insurance of ₹10 lakh, implementation of old pension scheme, establishment of 3,000 English medium schools, ₹4 lakh compensation for those who lost their family members due to COVID-19, loan Has promised schemes like amnesty. A housing plot or agricultural land for farmers, and landless people. We are focusing on unemployment and separation. Inflation is an ‘issue’ during this election. Be it middle class, lower middle class, farmer, scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), or minority, everyone is suffering from price rise. [This is] Apart from the exploitation of outsourcing and contract workers by the current government.
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Will AAP eat into Congress votes as claimed by BJP?
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I do not think so. If elections are held tomorrow, they [the AAP] Will draw a big zero. Making noise on social media and holding town halls does not mean that they have a strong organizational base here and can win elections. Our party has a strong grassroots base, and even if they cut off our votes, what is their commitment to fight against fascist forces to save the Indian Constitution and democracy, which is captured and monopolized by Hindutva forces? As Christophe Jaffrelot rightly states in his book Modi’s India The kind of caste democracy that Modi, BJP and RSS are trying to establish will further embolden forces like yours, which is a risk to the country. It simply means that BJP will have the same strength in the opposition, which this country has no idea.
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Is it part of the Congress strategy to let the state leadership play a major role instead of relying on top bosses in Delhi?
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Our central leadership will guide us. I have a better idea of what the Dalits of Gujarat really want. Our Amit Chavda, PCC chief Jagdish Thakor and Bharat Singh Solanki know better about the requirements of OBCs. While Anant Patel, the rising star from the Adivasi community, school teacher-turned-MLA, knows how to win the Adivasi vote. we need them [the Delhi leadership’s] guidance and support, but, Gujarat the choice of Gujarat leaders of, (Gujarat elections will be contested by leaders of Gujarat, isn’t it?)
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It was a rare opportunity for you as an independent candidate to serve the people of your constituency. Are you happy with your work?
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It has been a struggle, a challenge and a constant struggle with me. There was a huge mismatch between what I wanted to do and what people wanted me to do. But despite all this I can assure you that my performance has been good. The BJP cannot say a single thing against me during this election. Last time, he called me anti-national, anti-Hindu. But, this time no such propaganda is going to work. Even BJP supporters, who will not vote for me, are saying ‘Jignesh ne achha kaam kiya hai’. Dalits, Muslims and Adivasis in my constituency know that I stand for secular India.
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Last time, you had openly claimed that AAP supported you in the elections, but this time they put up their own candidate, and even the BJP fielded Manilal Vaghela, who was elected as a Congress MLA. Represented this seat from 2012 to 2017. Don’t you think it will be a tough match?
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they [the AAP] There is not much space on the ground. I am in good standing in my constituency. And as I said, my performance has been more than satisfactory to the people. i can crack it [winning the election] And I have no doubt. When it comes to Mr. Vaghela, my fight is not against him, it is against Mr. Modi. Here [in the Vadgam Assembly constituency]It will not be just BJP vs Congress, but it will also be Modi vs Mevani.