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The battle for power in Gujarat has intensified on Wednesday as all the major players including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Patidar leader Hardik Patel held massive rallies in the state. With just over a week left for the first phase of polling, all political parties in Gujarat have upped their intensity in poll campaigns.
Continuing the second leg of BJP’s Gujarat Vikas Rally in the state, PM Modi addressed crowd in Morbi and Prachi and Patilana. He campaigned in Saurashtra and south Gujarat by travelling through Palitana and Navasari. PAAS Leader Hardik Patel also addressed farmers in Morbi continued to interact with the citizens during the ‘Chai pe charcha’ in Bella village and ‘chowk pe charcha’ in Sajjanpura village of the district later in the day.
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile addressed a series of meetings under eighth Navsarjan Yatra which began from the Somnath temple. He held public meetings in Amreli and Bhavnagar districts during his two-day visit to the state. At the same time today he addressed meetings in Visavdar and Savar Kundla.
Gujarat elections highlights:
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8:45 pm: Hardik Patel addressed meetings in Rajkot and talked about supporting Congress in the election.
8:15 pm: Oozing with confidence Rahul Gandhi says that Congress will win in December.
8:14 pm: In a major campaign promise, Rahul Gandhi said, “We will waive loans of farmers within 10 days. If govt will function, it will be for farmers, small and medium businesses and you. We will ask what you want and will run the govt accordingly.”
8:07 pm: Modi has snatched and sold off Gujarat villages in the last two decades to industrialists, Rahul Gandhi in Amreli.
8:03 pm: Modi has snatched and sold off Gujarat villages in the last two decades to industrialists, says Rahul Gandhi in Amreli.
7:57 pm: PM Modi had targeted Congress during the day and said that the UPA government was anti-Gujarat. Congress countered the allegations saying numerous plans like Amul Cooperative Model, Mid-Day meal scheme, UKAI Dam, global diamond trade market was setup during its government.
7:56 pm: “Modiji made entire county stand in line during demonetisation. Did you see any of his ten “suit-boot wale friends. Did you see Adaniji in the line,” Rahul Gandhi in Amreli.
7:51 pm: Congress hits back at PM Modi over delay in Narmada water project and said in last 22 years just 20.8 per cent of canals have been constructed in the state and that 17 districts of Saurashtra and Kutch are facing sever water crisis.
7:50 pm: On PM Modi’s remarks over Congress’ questioning on Demonetisation Gandhi says, while common people like you were standing in queues, Modi’s friends turned their black money into white.
7:44 pm: PM Modi cannot tell you the truth that he gave jobs to just 450 people in 24 hours, says Gandhi in Amreli.
7:40 pm: Rahul Gandhi addresses public rally in Amreli, targets Modi on unemployment, says, “Why dont Modi talks about employment to youth in his speeches.”
6.50 pm: A child dressed up as PM Narendra Modi welcomed him at Navsari rally earlier on Wednesday.
6.32 pm: On the issue of Doklam, my question to Congress is clear. Why do you believe the Chinese and not our Army and our foreign ministry? PM asks.
6.30 pm: During his rally in Navsari, PM Modi remained silent for a couple of minutes when azan started in a nearby mosque.
6.27 pm: When we remember people, we remember Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Buddha, Sardar Patel, Netaji Bose, Bhagat Singh but they remember Gabbar Singh. What more can I say about their thought process, says PM Modi.
6:23 pm: The Congress VP will be in Gujarat on Thursday as well and will held several public meetings and rallies in Botad and Bhavnagar districts.
6:22 pm: Rahul Gandhi who has attended public meetings in Visvadar and Savar Kundla will now head to Amreli where he will address the third rally of the day.
6:17 pm: On the questioning from his government over Surgical Strikes, Modi said, “I fail to understand how someone can mock Swachh Bharat Mission and surgical strikes.”
6:16 pm: The Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich, says Modi in Navsari.
6:11 pm: PM Modi on Wednesday did marrathon rallies in Gujarat and attacked the Congress over issues related to Narmada water project, Doklam issue, lack of development under UPA and urged people to vote for BJP.
6:00 pm: Congress has now issued a clarification on the ‘non-hindu’ register book controversy.
5:50 pm: Attacking Congress o0n the issue of Doklam standoff, Modi said, “On the issue of Doklam my question to Congress is clear- why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry.”
Also Read | Somnath temple: Rahul Gandhi’s name figures in ‘non-Hindu’ list, Congress claims visitors book is ‘fake’
5:46 pm: Congress loves asking me- Modi ji what did you do. I want to tell them due to our efforts the corrupt are languishing in jail. They could also have done that but for them fighting corruption is a non-issue, says Modi in Navsari.
5:43 pm: With UP CM in Gujarat Modi highlighted his victory in the state election and said, “During UP polls two leaders set forth to campaign and the media went overboard glorifying them. They wrote that Modi is finished. The result is for everyone to see. And, what did these two leaders do in UP? They called Gujaratis donkeys.”
5:42 pm: PM who is addressing the fourth rally of the day in Navsari said, “Congress dislikes Gujarat as they will be defeated here. Victory and defeat are a part of life. There was a time when our party would distribute sweets when we saved our deposits. These things happen in a democracy, Congress should not be consumed by such hatred.”
5:40 pm: There are three elections going on- one in UP local bodies, one in Gujarat and the third one for the Congress President. In the first two the BJP is sure to win. And in the third one, no one except one family will win, PM Modi in Navsari.
5:36 pm: “I will waive off farmers’ loan in 15 days after winning election. It is not a big thing. BJP has waived off loans of big industrialists but not of farmers”, Gandhi in Savar Kundla of Gujarat.
5:35 pm: Repeating his stance on the delay in winter session of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said, “BJP does not want a debate in Parliament, as it doesn’t to take tough questions on the Rafale scam and Jay Shah.”
5:34 pm: The Somnath Temple trust has Kehubhai Patel as its chairman while PM MOdi, BJP President Amit Shah and Veteran politician LK Advani are its members.
5:33 pm: Secretary of Shree Somnath trust Pravin K Laheri told Indian Express, “We have a rule that all non-Hindus have to register their names. Somebody entered the names of Ahmed Patel and Rahul Gandhi in this register. The temple has nothing to do with it”
5:30 pm: While Congress VP addresses meeting in Savar Kundla, another controversy brews in Somnath temple where he visted and prayed in the morning. According to reports Gandhi signed the ‘non-hindu’ vistors book as he departed.
5:24 pm: Patidar leader and politician Hardik Patel managed to gather huge crowds in Moirbi district as he spoke with farmers and people of the area.
5:20 pm: “Modiji is better than Amitabh Bachchan as an actor. Modiji doesn’t need contact lense to weep. He is shallow. He will become emotional in coming days. He may not do it this time since ai am saying all this,” says Rahul Gandhi
5:06 pm: “How do you see Modiji’s speeches? Do you see any change? Rahul Gandhi asks audience who respond “fenku… fenku… Fenku.” “There is tension in his speeches now. Ghabrahat hai.”
5:03 pm: Addressing the rally Rahul expresses that he is hopeful that this time results will be different and they will win. He targetted Modi in MNREGA saying he criticised it but never shut it down.
5:01 pm: Rahul Gandhi begins addressing the corner meeting in Savar Kundla of Gujarat.
4:55 pm: Ashok Gehlot, former Rajasthan CM who is accompanying Gandhi at the corner meeting said that there is a need to take down the Gujarat government led by BJP.
4:44 pm: Rahul Gandhi reaches Savar Kundla to address a corner meeting. Locals dub it as the ‘biggest ever.’
4:35 pm: Urging people to change the leadership in Gujarat, Hardik Patel says, “If they can suggest you to change your crops periodically, why can’t you change leaders by your votes.”
4:34 pm: Hardik Patel calls BJP and Amit Shah goons while addressing a meeting Morbi.
4:24 pm: The political scene in the state is brimming with ace leaders from every party pitching their agends to the public with just weeks left in the election.
4:23 pm: Hardik Patel is not contesting election this time as he is “under-age”.
4:20 pm: Hardik Patel earlier reached Morbi and interacted with the people. The Patidar leader talked to people on matters of reservations and farmer issues in the area.
https://twitter.com/HardikPatel_/status/935805908013277186
4:18 pm: As Modi concludes his speech in Palitana, Congress VP Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend a corner meeting at Savar Kundla.
4:15 pm: In a heightened poll campaign, Modi ended his speech by reminding people about voting for the ‘right party.’ “We belong to the heirs of the fakir Gandhi. And they are the Gandhi varisdar who are born with a golden spoon.They do not know how it feels to walk barefoot and have a stone or thorn hurt your feet. It is upto you to choose which Gandhi you want. The fakir or the one with the golden spoon.”
4:10 pm: While the Congress targetted PM Modi on developing ties between India and Japan including the plans to set up bullet train in the state, PM Modi said, “Japan has assured us that it will help with developing Alang in terms of technology. They will give us financial assistance, think of how many job opportunities it will create. We will be going forward and if this is not Vikas then what is.”
4:09 pm: PM Modi will next visit Navsari where he will address the fourth and final rally of the day.
4:08 pm: Talking about the Alang Shipyard in Bhavnagar district, PM Modi said, “Alang was discussed for the first time after we (BJP) sat in Delhi. When the Japan PM met me I was thinking of Alang. Earlier prime ministers had not even heard of Alang.”
4:02 pm: They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking, says Modi attacking Congress.
4:00 pm: We have the legacy of Fakir Gandhi – the great Mahatma. They have the legacy of royalty. They were born with all privileges and are disconnected with the roots, says Modi in Palitana.
3:58 pm: “When I was Chief Minister I would plead to the Congress, even Congress leaders in Gujarat that let us get the Narmada project moving, let us help our farmers. But, the Congress was not interested”, says PM Modi.
3:55 pm: Targetting Congress on the Narmada water project, Modi said, “If the Congress was in power the Narmada waters would never come here and the farmers would have been disadvantaged. Congress has tried everything possible to delay the project.”
3:48 pm: PM Modi talks about Japan at Palitana public meeting in Gujarat.
3:44 pm: PM Modi speaking at Palitana targetted the opposition and said, “Do you remember the water shortage in the region? This is because the Congress controlled the tanker business. It suited them to have this shortage. The BJP has changed this in the last 22 years. We have made the tanker industry irrelevant.”
3:34 pm: PM Modi attacked Congress in his address and rebuked Congress VP Rahul Gandhi for calling GST ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’.
3:32 pm: PM Modi begins his address in the third public meeting of the day. He is speaking to a crowd in Palitana.
3:31 pm:
3:26 pm: Gujarat today is the hotbed of politics with senior politicians across parties making their way to the poll bound state. UP CM Yogi Adityanath has also reached Gujarat.
3:24 pm: PM Modi will address the crowd shortly, former CM Anandiben Patel addressed the crowd before Modi arrived and said, “Rahul went to Somanth temple today. Ask him or people from his party about how the conditions of the temple were when Congress was ruling. Thanks to Modijee Rahul has visited 21 temples in Gujarat.”
3:16 pm: PM Modi arrives in Palitana to address the third public meeting of the day.
3:08 pm: A massive gathering is seen in Palitana as PM Modi is scheduled to saddress the crowd mon the election trail.
2.52 pm:
2.48 pm: “One thing I’m lacking is that I don’t carry a label reading “fool” on my forehead. You’re also fool as you’re electing same leader for 25 years though he’s unable even to build good roads,” adds Patel in Bella village.
2.46 pm: Continuing his attack against BJP, Hardik Patel says, “BJP don’t care for us as they believe we won’t go anywhere. Congress is not coming forth as it lacks confidence after failing in 2002 and 2012 despite Keshubapa standing up. There are no cowards like Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. They draw their power only from police. So don’t be afraid of them, fight them.”
2.37 pm:
2.32 pm: Former chief minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel has arrived in Palitana where Modi’s third rally is scheduled.
2.30 pm: “Elect leaders who raise hue and cry when farmers don’t get good price for groundnut and not ones who are ferrying labourers to public meetings of PM Narendra Modi:” Hardik Patel says, apparently in reference to Modi’s election meeting in Morbi this morning. Patel had earlier also attacked Modi saying that he “is busy arranging mazdoors (labourers) and not manso (people).”
2.20 pm: Meanwhile in Morbi where Hardik Patel is addressing a rally, PAAS spokesman Manoj Panara says, “I want to tell you that “Gujarat ma vikas gando thayo chhe ane Morbi ma dharasabhya gando thayo chhe (development has gone crazy in Gujarat and Morbi MLA has also gone crazy).” This is in reference to Congress’ campaign of ‘vikas gando thayo chhe’ that has been running in the state.
2.18 pm: Meanwhile, crowd has started swelling in Palitana, which is Prime Minister Modi’s next stop. Singer Arvind Adiga is welcoming people with his songs
2.02 pm: “I’m not here do a meeting with you. Other people will come and do it since this is its season. Nor will I tell you who should you vote for. But don’t vote for the BJP,” Hardik Patel says to the crowd in Rangapar village of Morbi
1.59 pm: Continuing his attack against Congress, Modi says, “I want to ask the Congress. What is it that you have against our army? The demand for OROP was pending for forty long years. Why did successive Congress governments do nothing about that. When elections were approaching, they announced a meagre Rs. 500 crore for OROP when the real requirement was a lot higher. This was misleading of the highest order.”
1.58 pm: “My remaining in power is bad news for those who have looted the nation for 70 long years,” adds PM Modi.
1.57 pm: Meanwhile Rahul Gandhi has reached his first destination for the day.
1.54 pm: “Congress is seeking votes of the OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow OBC Commission to get Constitutional Status for all these years. We brought in the move, it was passed by the Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority. I want to assure you- Congress may try to throw any roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC Communities their due,” he added.
1.48 pm: Attacking Rahul Gandhi on his planned visit to Somnath, Modi adds, “If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them- have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first PM was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there.”
1.40 pm: PM Modi reaches Prachi.
1.30 pm:
1.28 pm: Crowd at Hardik Patel’s rally in Morbi
1.12 pm:
1.00 pm: “We accept Gandhiji did injustice Sardar Patel by not allowing him to become prime minister but what you (BJP) did to Nitin Patel? Nitin Patel had even distributed sweets but next morning, you made somebody else chief minister of Gujarat,” TD Patel said.
12.59 pm: “Since this is election time, we shall talk politics. They say we are doing politics, but what does Prime Minister Narendra Modi do? He’ll come here and do 50 meetings. Will he come to pick cotton on farms?” PAAS spokesman Manoj Panara says. Reffering to their alliance with Congress, he adds, “Hardik won’t say it but I’m telling you openly, you have to vote for Congress candidate (for Morbi Assembly seat) Brijesh Merja this election.”
12.58 pm: Referring to the Modi’s rally that just concluded in Morbi, Patel said, “Today, saheb is doing a meeting in Morbi. They are busy arranging mazdoors (labourers) and not manso (people) for that meeting.”
12.57 pm: Hardik Patel has begun his address in Morbi.
12.50 pm:
12.12 pm: “We have served this region. I fought for the Narmada against the Government of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh, which was anti-Narmada. All this was done for our farmers, the people of Gujarat. When you vote, vote for development only. The people of Gujarat have one of their own sitting in Delhi, who is always working for the well-being of Gujarat.” Expressing sadness over Manmohan Singh’s comment that both leaders never met over Narmada, Modi added, “I would not mind, if he has forgotten due to old age.”
12.11 pm: Lashing out at Congress for their protests against GST, PM Modi said, “It is natural for those who have looted all their lives to remember only dacoits. Under their grand stupid thoughts they want basic necessities of the poor to be taxed at 18 per cent. At the same time they want cigarettes & alcohol to be cheaper. What logic is this? They have looted lots from the people already. I am here to give every penny back to the poor, which they looted all these years.” Calls Rahul Gandhi’s thoughts of keeping uniform 18 per cent GST as ‘Grand Stupid Thought’ of ‘some new economists.’
11.47 am: “Through the SAUNI Yojana, we built huge pipelines. Dams in Saurashtra are being filled due to SAUNI Yojana. But, I do not think the Congress can see all this. We worked to improve the water situation but we did not stop there. BJP Government brought in soil health card which has proven extremely beneficial for the farmers”
11.42 am: “In Gujarat we initiated a mass movement to conserve every drop of water. This is because we understand the adverse impact of lack of water. Development for us is not about winning polls, it is about serving every citizen.”
11.40 am: Adding that he has been often asked about Gujarat’s model of development, PM said, “For Congress, ‘development’ was giving hand pumps. For BJP, it is SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters.”
11.38 am: Referring to the BJP’s efforts in the development of Gujarat, Prime Minister said, “The main issue in Kutch and Saurashtra when we came to power was water shortage. Lack of adequate water was affecting society. The BJP government changed this and got waters of the Narmada to these regions.”
11.33 am: “Even when we were not in power, we were with the people of Morbi and served the society,” PM Modi said. He added development is what matters for the party.
11.31 am: Launching his attack against the Congress party, PM Modi says, “In good and bad times, the Jan Sangh and the BJP have stood with the people of Morbi. One cannot say the same about the Congress and their leaders.”
11.25 am: PM Modi has begun his address
11.19 am: Prime Minister Modi has arrived in Morbi district. He will soon address the crowd.
11.13 am:
10.55 am: Hardik Patel’s convoy on its way to Khakhrechi village in Morbi.
9.34 am: Taking a jibe against PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi on Twitter asked him about his promises to Gujarat. Referring to his promise of 50 lakh new houses in 2012, Gandhi poetically asked if he would take more 45 years to keep up his word.
9.27 am: Congress leader P Chidambaram launched a stinging attack against the prime minister for centering the Gujarat campaign around himself. The former finance minister said the polls were not about “Mr Modi, the individual” but about the promised “achhe din” that has not come even after 42 months. He also added that the PM does not talk about joblessness, lack of investment, collapse of SMEs among other issues “because he has no answers to the hard reality.”
9.19 am: During his rally in Bhuj on Monday, Prime Minister Modi lashed out at the Congress party for ignoring Gujarat during its rule. Calling himself as “Son of Gujarat,” he also added that no Gujarati would forgive them. He also attacked Rahul Gandhi for celebrating the release of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
9.04 am:
9.00 am: Welcome to our live blog on Gujarat elections where we will be tracking all the action that is going to happen in the poll-bound state.
