The BJP’s two-day brainstorming session in Gujarat that began on Sunday took stock of the preparations for the Assembly elections.
The session was held in a private golf resort 75 km from Ahmedabad in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, among others.
“The party leaders took stock of the preparations. We will form the next government with a historic mandate,” said BJP spokesman Yagnesh Dave. The party leaders discussed the feedback from each of the 182 seats, the performance of its sitting legislators and the State government, and how various schemes of the State and Centre were being implemented.
Monday’s session ended with a speech by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who asked the leaders to ensure that the party won the Assembly elections with a historic mandate, beating the 27-year anti-incumbency.
The BJP has been winning the assembly polls since 1995.
The party leaders also apparently discussed the aggressive campaign launched by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and how its arrival would affect the State’s political scenario.
“We will focus on winning 182 seats in the Assembly,” said State BJP general secretary Pradipsinh Waghela after the session ended on Monday.
The ruling party in Gujarat is already in a campaign mode, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been visiting the State once a month, besides launching new projects and initiatives via videoconferencing.
Mr. Modi has visited his home State twice since March and attended half-a-dozen online events.
The ruling party has also inducted a number of Congress leaders, including a prominent tribal legislator Ashwin Kotwal, who joined the party earlier this month. A few more Opposition party leaders are likely to switch over to the saffron camp in the days to come.
