Vadodara campaign gathers steam in Modi's absence

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The prestigious battle for the vadodara lok sabha seat from where bharatiya janata party?s (bjp) prime ministerial candidate narendra modi is being challenged by madhusudan mistry of the congress is gathering steam with supporters of both sides hitting the campaign trail

While the gujarat chief minister’s elder brother soma modi and the bjp strongman’s look-alike jitendra vyas have been going round the state’s cultural capital shaking hands and kissing babies close aides of high-brow mistry a rajya sabha mp and tribal leader have landed in the city to prepare a surefire brainstorming strategy with the help of local congressmen.

Soma who had backed demand for modi’s candidature from vadodara met several members of his caste for canvassing support for his 63-year-old younger brother and has plans to keep visiting the city for a hectic campaign till the d-day on april 30.

The elder sibling is a retired government official who runs an old-age home at his native place vadnagar in north gujarat. vadodara-based bjp member jitendra vyas (35) who resembles modi has begun a door-to-door campaign and has vowed to ensure victory for his ‘boss’ with a record margin of votes.

“saheb (boss) is busy campaigning all over the country and cannot spare much time for vadodara. therefore i have decided to garner support for him by visiting all the seven assembly constituencies of the city” vyas who owns some auto-rickshaws told khaleej times.

Well-educated close friends of congress contestant mistry a graduate of vadodara’s m s university who has also studied at oxford and at idr boston are busy preparing the ground for canvassing by gathering voters’ list and other data related to the constituency for their campaign analysis.

Mistry who addressed his first public rally on march 30 told this correspondent that he had the support of a strong and seasoned congress team to give a tough fight to modi.

After all he is a well-known leader of tribal communities in gujarat. a follower of the gandhian leader the late jina darji modi’ challenger is considered the brain behind upa’s two most talked-about social welfare measures — the mahatma gandhi national rural employment guarantee scheme and the forest rights act.
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