)
Observers said though Kejriwal’s visit might not sway voters in Gujarat, its effect could be felt in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, where the BJP’s vote share might decline. They added Kejriwal’s efforts to demolish the development model showcased by Gujarat chief minister and the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi could have an impact in the metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
During his four-day visit to Gujarat, Kejriwal travelled in Kutch and the northern districts and held meetings with a cross-section of the people. He faced opposition from BJP workers in parts of the state and was briefly detained on the first day of his visit.
The AAP leader took on the Modi government over the issue of small and medium enterprises shutting, corruption, unemployment, the state’s weak health and education infrastructure and farmer suicides.
“Kejriwal’s visit has been a morale booster for our party members. People are calling from different districts and sharing their grievances with us,” said AAP member Anirudh Jadeja. The party was planning a response mechanism to address issues being raised by the people, he added.
“At the national level, there could be some impact because of the way Kejriwal demolished notions of development in Gujarat,” said political observer Achyut Yagnik. The AAP effect could benefit the Congress in states like Punjab and Haryana, where the difference in vote share was very thin in the last general elections, he added.
“The AAP would need to mobilise people, raise and consolidate local issues and be articulate in their approach,” said Ghanshyam Shah, another political analyst. “There may not be a significant impact on the BJP, but Kejriwal’s visit has certainly made the party nervous. The AAP may eat into the BJPs share of votes, but it is unclear if they can convert it into seats,” he added.
Shah pointed out the issues raised by Kejriwal had been raised often by human rights and social groups. “Earlier, when the Congress said the same things, the people did not take them seriously. But now when Kejriwal says it, there will definitely be an impact,” he said.
The Gujarat BJP, however, refuted all of Kejriwal’s allegations. “The AAP basically has an NGO (non-government organisation) culture and it will have no impact on Modi’s campaign. Kejriwal is like the B-team, or proxy, of the Congress, which is being unleashed against the BJP,” party spokesperson Harshad Patel said.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “The questions raised by Kejriwal on Gujarat’s development model will only benefit us as they support and substantiate our claims.”
|
Questions raised by Kejriwal Business Standard checks these after talking to experts You (Narendra Modi) claim 11% agriculture growth in the state while your government’s data says production has shrunk -1.18% annually and revenue has declined from Rs 27,815 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 25,908 crore in 2012-13. Why? Fact: According to Y K Alagh, noted economist and former union minister, Gujarat’s agriculture is neither growing at over 10 per cent as claimed by the state government nor what Kejriwal alleged. “Both are untrue. Gujarat’s agriculture is 68 per cent rain-fed and has fluctuated a lot over the years. The agricultural growth rate for Gujarat between 2003-04 and 2010-011, using triennium averages, stands at 5.3 per cent annually,” explains Alagh. Why does Gujarat purchase solar power at Rs 13 per unit? Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka are buying it at Rs 7.50 and Rs 5 per unit, respectively. Fact: Pranav Mehta, chairman, National Solar Energy Federation of India, feels Kejriwal was not well informed on the issue. “Gujarat purchases solar power at Rs 12.54 per unit. The power purchase agreements were signed in 2009-10 when the cost of production was high. Since new solar power plants have lower production costs, the price has come down to Rs 7 per unit. Units in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka were set up recently, hence the lower rates.” Electricity for irrigation is a distant dream for farmers. Why do you claim 24x7 availability of electricity when farmers get power for only three hours a day? Fact: K K Bajaj, chief general manager of Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), agrees with Kejriwal that 450,000 applications for new electricity connections are pending.However, he disagrees on the point farmers do not get 24-hour power. According to Bajaj, farmers get eight hours of electricity for irrigation, and single-phase electricity for household use round the clock. Why has the Modi government given a Rs 29,000 crore sop to Tata Nano? Fact: Government sources provided details of sops granted and claimed that by no calculation the amount touches Rs 29,000 crore. The sops are in the form of value-added tax exemption and are spread over 20 years. There is no way to quantify the amount. About 1.3 million people applied for 1,500 posts of talati (taluka-level revenue officer) recently. How can you claim to have solved the problem of unemployment? Fact: Around 800,000 applicants had applied for around 800 posts. Your ministry has people like Babu Bokhiria, convicted in a mining case, and Purshottam Solanki, accused in a Rs 450-crore fishing contract scandal. Why? Fact: Both are part of the council of ministers in Modi’s government. Bokhiria’s appeal is pending in the high court, while investigation is on against Solanki. Why has Modi stopped the subsidy scheme for tractors and farm equipment? Fact: Ajmal Thakore, sarpanch of Hansalpur village and a farmer, says he availed the subsidy scheme six months ago when he bought a tractor. The scheme is very much on. |
