Nov 19, 2022: Star Campaigners of BJP and Congress
As the campaigning started in real earnest in Gujarat, BJP called upon its Star campaigners and organized rallies in each of the 89 constituencies. Leaders of BJP from all over the country, led by J.P. Nadda, the President of the party. In the Report of 17th November, the names of some of the Leaders were mentioned. Some other notable persons, who joined the campaign was Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP Chief Minister of Assam and V.K.Singh, Union Minister and former Chief of Staff of Indian Army.
Amit Shah, the Home Minister of India has also been campaigning in Gujarat. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister is joining the election campaign on 19th and will campaign for three days.
Saurashtra and the Tribal belts of south Gujarat have been strongholds of the Congress and the Congress is gearing up by bringing some of its highest-ranked leaders to campaign in Gujarat.
Congress released its list of star campaigners for the second phase on Saturday in which the party included Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and a host of senior leaders from Gujarat for campaigning.
Congress has also named Ashok Gehlot, chief minister of Rajasthan, Bhupesh Baghel, chief minister of Chhattisgarh, party veterans including Digvijay Singh, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, former chief ministers and senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Ashok Chavan among others, who will campaign in Gujarat ahead of the state assembly elections.
In the 40-member list of Star Campaigners, Congress has included some of its young leaders such as Sachin Pilot, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister, Imran Pratapgarhi, the newly-elected Rajya Sabha member and Kanhaiya Kumar from Bihar as the star campaigners.
According to the list released by Congress, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, party veteran Tariq Anwar, Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera, party’s prominent Dalit leader Udit Raj and Congress Punjab unit chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring are also scheduled to campaign in Gujarat. The list also includes BK Hariprasad and Mohan Prakash, two of the central observers for the poll.
The Congress has been out of power in Gujarat since 1995. Defeating the BJP in this election remains an uphill task.
The state will go to polls on December 1 and 5 in two phases. The result will be out on December 8.
— By Sachin Ashal