Gujarat poll campaign marred by citizens' indifference

Visit across Ahmedabad city - both old and new emerging areas - would suggest that the native and local citizenry are not much interested about the so called 'Do-or Die' elections - where even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his bitter critic Rahul Gandhi of Congress have high stakes.

"Elections may come, elections may go. Our life continues. What matters here is business. I am more interested to see that my customers are happy. Do I have the stocks my customers would want for the ensuing winter season? What are their new demands and so ?," says Brajesh Parmar, a cloth merchant in Ahmedabad.

His views were readily endorsed by 20 something student Pizushbhai Bhatt, who stays in a Paying Guest House.

"Look, all these talk about elections is media hype. All hype and curiosity about Gujarat elections is outside Gujarat - may be. 'Action kahin aur haen mere dost'  (Real actions are somewhere else)," he says wryly.

At moments, it does not seem that Ahmedabad is also a politically crucial hub - which has an estimated 70 lakh population and as many as 16 assembly seats in its vicinity.

Some among BJP supporters, however, say the people of Gujarat and Ahmedabad have made up their mind. "They want Narendra Modi to win. They know at the end of the day, BJP will get a comfortable majority. So what is the use chatting with newspersons. Unlike north Indian states, people here are more businesslike. If there is some utility, they will talk, or else they will not," says 45-year-old Anshuman Doshi.

To this school of thought, the crux of the story of the Gujarat elections is that the BJP is winning hands down.

"What will be debated however is how much damage the anguish of Patidars do to the saffron party," says educationist Karunaben Gohil.

The enthusiasm is lacking even in Congress office, Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan. "It was a place of action till ticket aspirants made a beeline. Now, everyone is busy visiting constituencies. The real show is there," says Rajender Singh Rathore, a Congress worker from Rajasthan.

The Congress headquarters otherwise gave a deserted look on Friday afternoon - a sharp contrast to the carnival even witnessed a week ago. "Most of our leaders and workers are busy with Rahul Gandhi show," says one office staff.

Even otherwise, the busy market places and various places in the city areas are still to give a 'poll-bound look'.

Perhaps - things would pick up by next week as polling in Ahmedabad is on December 14, says one BJP leader.

Many, however, say actions had begun long back. As the campaign carnival for the Gujarat assembly elections got rolling about two months back with national leaders from Congress and BJP trying to hit out at each other - major contenders had pulled all the plugs.

Unlike past, the campaign in more ways than one has been focused more on Internet and Twitter than traditional banners and buntings.

Political workers in both Congress and BJP offices say the rules of the game have changed.

"Now advertising agencies and image builders are hired from before hand. Speeches are prepared. Even Rahul Gandhi is repeating a lot. There is nothing wrong in that. Our leader is at least not throwing jumla," commented a Congress supporter at party office.

Fielding questions, one BJP worker at the party's newly set up media-cell say, "If you accept traditional kind of writings on the wall and posters, you may not get.

Gujarat is trend setter in many ways. In fact, politicians cutting across party affiliations and other divisions donned colourful clothes and many a time they also change 'kurtas' and jackets in cars as they hop from one polling booth to the other or run into the TV studios for talks shows and debates".

He like scores of other BJP leaders say - the BJP is certainly banking a lot on Narendra Modi charishma - projecting him as someone who has made Gujarat proud.

"Modi is clearly the most popular leader and a native. Congress has given BJP a huge advantage by personalised campaign against him," another BJP worker Amar Kumar says.

A BJP ad aptly tries to capture PM Narendra Modi's 'development focus' politics. "For all others, V would mean victory, for me V only means Vikas (Development)," runs an ad with life size photograph showing Modi making a point.

For Congress, obviously the star campaigner has been Rahul Gandhi - leading the campaign and assault - almost all alone against the BJP.

The Congress sources - however - say the party obviously printed lakhs of posters featuring all Gandhis - Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

According to many in number of places ecstatic Congress workers danced to drum beats and popular tunes created for the battle of the ballot or the EVM to be precise.

But the BJP candidates hardly lacked varieties and pomp and gaiety. BJP's Sangeeta Patil went riding a horse to file her nomination papers for Limbayat seat in Surat.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani took a scooter ride on the narrow lanes of Rajkot, his hometown, and reached out to his supporters before filing nomination.