This is an archive article published on April 14, 2024
After Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Congress divided society and won 149 seats in state polls, says Paatil
Five Assembly seats are going to see bypolls after Congress MLAs elected on those seats in the 2022 elections crossed over and are contesting on BJP tickets.
Addressing a farmers’ gathering in Surat on Saturday, state BJP president and Navsari MP C R Paatil said that the Congress won 149 of 182 seats in the Gujarat Assembly elections following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by “dividing society”, while the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi won 156 seats in 2022 “without dividing society”.
“In 1984, after murder of Indira Gandhi, then Gujarat chief minister had adopted ‘KHAM’ (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim) theory, and divided the society and won 149 seats in state elections. It is Modi who never intends to divide the society, and works on ‘Sab ka Saath Sabka Vikas’ and because of that in the 2022 elections, with your support and due to the popularity of Modi, we won 156 seats. Modi has not divided society”, Paatil told the gathering.
Five Assembly seats are going to see bypolls after Congress MLAs elected on those seats in the 2022 elections crossed over and are contesting on BJP tickets.
According to Paatil, youths of Navsari at present are going to neighbouring districts for jobs, but once the PM Mitra Park starts operating in the district, people from outside will come to Navsari looking for employment.
“The PM Mitra Park was supposed to go to Bharuch… we made representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and brought it at Navsari, as the district was facing slow progress… Out of seven PM Mitra parks in the country, one is coming up at Navsari, which will provide employment to over 60,000 youths.”
“Now while youths of Navsari are going to neighbouring districts for jobs, soon, they will work in their own district… once the park is fully functional, it will also provide jobs to the youths of other districts,” he added.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
