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Journalism of Courage
The BJP is back with slogans underlining itself as the answer to Gujarat in the run-up to the Assembly elections.
On Monday, it launched its campaign using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallying cry “Aa Gujarat ame banavyu chhe (We built this Gujarat)”. The party is also going with “Bharosa ni BJP sarkar (Trustworthy BJP government)” to push out its message to the electorate.
The BJP first came to power in Gujarat in 1995 when Keshubhai Patel became the chief minister. In the run-up, the party coined the slogan “Bhay, bhookh, bhrashtachar mukta Gujarat (Gujarat free of fear, hunger and corruption).” The elections were held amidst the churn stirred by the Ayodhya Ram Temple movement and the demolition of the Babri Masjid and, on the back of its message of change, the BJP won 121 seats.
A senior BJP worker involved in the slogan brainstorming said, “It (the 1995 slogan) was a reference to the then situation, the communal riots and the presence of Abdul Latif (the late gangster) in Ahmedabad.”
Three years later, when the BJP went into elections in the aftermath of Shankersinh Vaghela’s rebellion, its slogan was “BJP no Nirdhar: Salamat, Samrudhdha, Swabhimani, Samras Gujarat (BJP’s determination: Safe, prosperous, self-respectful and harmonious Gujarat)”.
Perhaps not as catchy, the BJP worker said, adding: “But after the Vaghela episode, the sentiment towards the BJP was so strong that no need was felt for an emphatic slogan.”
The Assembly elections in 2002 followed, coming in the wake of the Godhra train burning and the communal riots.
“The riots were the strongest public sentiment driving the elections. The party slogan was — Paanch karod Gujaratio no Hitrakshak – BJP (Protector of five crore Gujaratis’ interests — BJP)”. However, the Gaurav Yatra launched by then CM Narendra Modi was so popular that it was talked about more than anything else in those elections.”
In 2007, the BJP contested under Modi’s leadership using the slogan “Jitega Gujarat (Gujarat will win)”. At the time, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre. The slogan meant to convey that despite the alleged injustices of the Centre towards Gujarat, the state would prevail.
Modi was credited with coining the slogan the BJP used during the 2012 Assembly polls, his last as CM. The year before, he had come up with “Sauno Sath, Sauno Vikas (Inclusive growth, collective effort)” during his Sadbhavna Mission.
Five years later, the BJP faced the elections amid Patidar anger. In the run-up, it faced a punchline popularly believed to have been coined by a Patidar youth: “Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Development has gone mad)” .
The BJP’s counter was “Hu Chhu Gujarat, Hu Chhu Vikas (I am Gujarat, I am development)”.
