Pathan, a resident of Vadodara, was speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation polls at a polling station in the Tandalja area of the city.
The ruling BJP in Gujarat got an endorsement in Gujarat from the most unlikely of quarters. All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Baharampur in West Bengal Yusuf Pathan said that the BJP enjoys support in Gujarat due to its “work and governance”, just like the TMC in West Bengal.
Drawing a parallel between the TMC ruling in West Bengal and the BJP in Gujarat, Pathan said, “The TMC has built a strong base in West Bengal through its cadre and grassroots presence. The BJP enjoys similar support in Gujarat due to its work and governance. Political outcomes are shaped by how people perceive development and the performance of governments.”
Pathan, a resident of Vadodara, was speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation polls at a polling station in the Tandalja area of the city.
The former Team India cricketer said that voters in Gujarat are focussed on ‘development’, and despite complaints of flooding and inconvenience caused by infrastructure projects, people in Gujarat still back parties they believe are “delivering results”.
Speaking about the dominance of certain political parties in a few states, the TMC MP said, “ I have said that the TMC will remain strong in Bengal for four or five decades and no one can change that; a similar claim is often made about the BJP in Gujarat. That is a fact. Ultimately the electoral performance depends on public trust, grassroots engagement and development work that is visible to the people.”
According to Pathan, governments come to power on two factors mainly “of how effectively parties work for the people and how the voters respond to that work at the ballot box”. Batting for development, Pathan, while asking people to come out to vote, said that “people should exercise their voting right responsibly with a focus on development”.
“Voting is a fundamental right and must be exercised responsibly, with a focus on development. Voters typically support candidates and parties who they think will remain connected with the people, listen to their concerns, and work on the ground to improve their everyday life,” he said.
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Pathan also downplayed any “magic number” in voter statistics, saying percentage figures remain broadly consistent in elections.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
