In first road show, CM Anandiben Patel asks for vote as ‘Bhai Beej gift’

“The city is prospering. This year on Diwali, 11,000 cars were purchased. But 11,000 cars on the roads also mean that this will lead to heavy traffic congestion and air pollution. We will address this problem by augmenting public transportation like BRTS. About 1.30 lakh commuters use BRTS daily. This should be increased so traffic and air pollution are controlled,” she said in the beginning of her road show.

She also reminded voters that it was the BJP that brought Narmada water to people. She said, “You now not only get water from the Narmada for drinking, but also for washing your cars and two wheelers with it.” The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation standing committee in October had surveyed automobile garages and decided to regulate water they used for washing vehicles that came for servicing.

She promised to spend Rs 15,000 crore for the city over the next five years. The government will help resolve the issue of regularising unauthorised structures, she said.

On the recent water supply cut due to breach in Shedhi canal, she said, “Because of the breach and leakages, there was 20 per cent short supply in the water. Since water was being supplied through the open canal, it caused leakages and shortage as well as low pressure, but we will solve this by laying a pipeline to carry water with special grant,” she told the crowd. It was the east zone areas that suffered most due to the Shedhi canal breach.

At CTM Char Rasta, she asked the crowd whether they had seen such bridge or wide roads during the Congress rule. “You have no idea about the work done by this government,” she said. “It is thanks to the money Narendrabhai Modi sent for the Metro project that we will have a Metro train here. Has any other Prime Minister done such work in the past?” she asked the crowd. Incidentally, the CM’s convoy avoided Patidar-dominated localities in the areas.
At Danilimda, local leader and former Congressman Jayantilal Parmar presented the chief minister with a portrait of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar when she stopped at the Ambedkar Community Centre on the BRTS road.

At the end of the road show at Ambedkar Bridge, she told people that it was heartening to see such a large crowd of Dalits brethren turning up to attend the show. She didn’t mention Muslims who form a sizable population in the area. “You have to help the BJP win and not the Congress,” she said.