Amit Shah claims big win in Gujarat Elections, says `Bhupendra Patel will continue as CM`

Amit Shah also slammed the Congress of `appeasement politics`, urged the voters to elect BJP with huge margin.

New Delhi: Ahead of the biggest political faceoff at the homeland of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah shows his confidence in winning the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections with a huge margin and said that Bhupendra Patel will continue to be the Chief Minister, post elections. Earlier, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel had filed his nomination for the upcoming polls from the Ghatlodia constituency. Terming Patel as the 'future CM', Shah urged the voters to elect him by a huge margin. 

Slamming Congress of various deeds, including 'appeasement politics', the Union Home Minister said the BJP ended the appeasement politics and established the rule of law in Gujarat during its 27-year rule. Shah was speaking at an election rally in support of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the BJP's candidate from the Ghatlodia seat in Ahmedabad city.

Recalling the old days of Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad, Shah said in those years law and order were out of control, the state used to be under curfew for 200 days of the 365 days, but since the BJP has come to power, curfews have become a thing of the past. The party has freed the state from anti-social elements.

He said that the Development of Gujarat has become a role model of many states. He reiterated that in this election it is a direct fight between BJP and Congress and third party candidates will lose deposits.

Addressing the public rally, Shah alleged the Congress of mocking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its cadres over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and asked Rahul Gandhi to visit the temple, which he said will be ready for inauguration in January 2024.

"Earlier, Congress used to taunt us saying when the temple will be built. Now, when the temple is getting ready for its inauguration in January 2024, Rahul Baba can visit the temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has solved this 550-year-old dispute peacefully," he said.

Shah praised the Prime Minister for abrogating Article 370 (which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir) and bringing a law banning the practice of triple talaq.

"I want to congratulate CM Bhupendra Patel for demolishing illegal Mazars (a Muslim shrine or enshrined tomb) and other illegal constructions which mushroomed in Beyt Dwarka (a small island off the coast of Dwarka) over years. There were more Mazars than the population," said Shah.

After the rally, Shah and Patel led a roadshow up to the Sola area where Patel submitted his nomination papers for the next month's elections to authorities. Before filing the nomination, Patel addressed his workers for three minutes. The Ghatlodia assembly segment is part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2017 elections, Patel was elected from Ghatlodia with a huge margin of 1.17 lakh votes.

The BJP is eyeing a seventh straight term in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, where a triangular contest among BJP, Congress and AAP is shaping up.

Gujarat is scheduled to vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

(With agency inputs)