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This is an archive article published on January 2, 2017
Gujarat panchayat polls: BJP felicitates 8,000 new sarpanches
During the function, which was held at Shree Kamalam — Gujarat BJP headquarters, those candidates who had defeated local Congress “stalwarts” and other anti-BJP leaders were especially called onto the dais and honoured by senior state party leaders.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani shower rose petals on newly elected sarpanches at Sree Kamalam in Gandhinagar on Sunday. (Source: Javed Raja)
To buttress its claim that over 80 per cent candidates devoted to BJP won the recently concluded elections to nearly 9,000 gram panchayats, the party on Sunday felicitated “more than 8,000 newly elected sarpanches” in Gandhinagar on Sunday. During the function, which was held at Shree Kamalam — Gujarat BJP headquarters, those candidates who had defeated local Congress “stalwarts” and other anti-BJP leaders were especially called onto the dais and honoured by senior state party leaders.
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Among the noteworthy sarpanches felicitated on the dais was Dhanjibhai Korat, who was elected from Mota Samadhiyala village, the epicentre of statewide Dalit agitation. Korat’s supporter Ramesh Sarvaiya, winner of the lone SC ward in the panchayat and relative of Balu Sarvaiya — one of the seven victims of the “gau rakshaks” assault in July 11 last year, was also felicitated by party leader K C Patel.
Following conclusion of the event, Korat told the media he has been associated with BJP for eight years and believed in going ahead while keeping people from all communities together.
The saffron party also felicitated other victorious candidates and ward members who defeated relatives of local ‘Congress stalwarts’ and anti-BJP leaders such as MP Kunvarji Bavaliya, MLA Ishwar Patel, MLA Poonam Parmar and MLA Nalin Kotadiya. The list also included Kantaben Patel, who has been elected sarpanch of Panchot village in Mehsana district which is just a kilometre away from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi recently.
Most state BJP leaders attended the function, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, state party president Jitu Vaghani and Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Panchayati Raj Parshottam Rupala.
Speaking on the occasion, Rupala asked the newly elected sarpanches to work for rural growth, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a special arrangement to ensure the grant for villages reach directly to the sarpanches’ bank accounts. He also said that each village panchayat will be getting Rs 25 lakh in five years from the Centre.
Party president Jitu Vaghani said, “More than 8,000 sarpanches, wearing BJP sashes, have been felicitated today… This is the beginning of Congress’s end in Gujarat.”
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Addressing the gathering, Vaghani said, “The beginning of 2017 indicates the end of Congress.” Vaghani and Rupani entered the venue in an open jeep and showered rose petals on the newly elected sarpanches and ward members.
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