Gujarat Polls: BJP announce mission 150 for PM Modi's state
New Delhi : After thumping win in recently concluded UP and Uttarakhand, the BJP is accelerating its campaign plans in Gujarat. According to reports, Gujarat is to vote this December, but BJP will seek to advance the election in PM Modi's home state to capitalise on the incontestable Modi Wave.
The saffron party has now got a new slogan, UP mein 325, Gujarat mein 150" (325 seats in UP, 150 in Gujarat). The slogan accompanies pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah in hoardings and other publicity material now on display in major cities.
Gujarat has 182 seats. The BJP has set itself a target of winning 150.
The BJP currently holds 123 seats. A big victory in Gujarat will accrue more prestige points for the PM ahead of the next general election in 2019.
The BJP has governed Gujarat uninterrupted for 19 consecutive years, and PM Modi served as Chief Minister four times before his move to Delhi. The party's challenges include anger among the Patels, a rich and powerful support group of the BJP. Political opponents have also held the BJP responsible for failing to protect Dalits from cow vigilante attacks.