In first address to party workers after poll results, Paatil claims responsibility of Lok Sabha seat loss

“The Gujarat BJP makes a record in every election. The BJP got 1.68 crore votes in the 2022 assembly elections in the state and 1.83 crores votes this year in the Lok Sabha elections. This was excluding the Surat seat, which we won uncontested. In the 2022 assembly election, Congress got 90 lakh votes while this time in Lok Sabha elections, the party got 1.01 crore votes. If an election were to take place in Surat, the BJP would have got another 8 lakh votes,” said Paatil.

Stressing that the BJP’s tally in the Gujarat Assembly now stands at 161 after winning all five constituencies in bypolls, the state BJP chief further added, “But this time, we could not claim a hat-trick in the Lok Sabha elections. I take responsibility for it… as some mistakes happened.”

Days after assuming charge of a new portfolio, Paatil also appealed to party leaders and workers to install rainwater harvesting systems. He announced that the BJP councilors will be trained to spread information about rainwater harvesting in their areas. He appealed for taking steps to increase green cover.

At the meeting, Gujarat Home minister Harsh Sanghavi said, “This time those who had returned after spending summer vacations outside to the city might have come across countdown timing traffic signals installed at 184 locations. The police department and Surat Municipal Corporation are working jointly to reduce the timings of vehicle riders at traffic signals. We have found a 20 per cent decrease in grave accidents.”