With the Gujarat Assembly elections due and the Election Commission likely to announce the poll dates anytime, state leaders are busy preparing strategies even as the local leaders have launched campaigns demanding the nomination of local candidates.

Leaders and workers of the BJP and the Congress are campaigning to build pressure on the party’s state and national leadership for this.

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In Saurashtra, on the Botad and Talala seats, workers and caste leaders are demanding local candidates. In North Gujarat, Congress and BJP workers are demanding local candidates in Radhanpur, Chanasma, Siddhpur, and Mehsana constituencies.

Popatbhai Avaiya is the BJP’s general secretary in Botad district, and a Kadva Patidar leader. Talking to IANS, he said “Not only Patidars even the Koli community leaders are against imported candidates, for the simple reason that they are not residing in the constituency, they are like visiting faculty of the constituency, never addressing people’s issues. In the long term such candidates can create anti-incumbency against the party at the local level. If a person is renominated by the party for several terms, even the party cadre gets discouraged, because others are not getting a chance.”

He said he is going to request the BJP leadership, like the party constitution says a person can be party president for a maximum of two terms, in the same way, there should be a rule for maximum terms for the elected representatives.

In North Gujarat, turncoat OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is facing a big challenge within the BJP. Two former MLAs, Lavingji Solanki and Nagji Thakor, have launched a campaign, “Local candidate will win, imported will be defeated, local will contest and will win the election,”.

Alpesh Thakor is trying hard to convince the local Thakor leaders to extend support to him, but Lavingji and Nagji are adamant.

In Patan district, Thakor, Aahir, and other caste youths met on Friday and demanded that the BJP should nominate Mangaji Thakor, a local leader. Their grouse is also that outsiders are not effectively serving the interests of the constituency.

It is not only the BJP that is affected, the Congress too is facing the same problem. Congress leaders from Mehsana constituency and Tharad are demanding local candidates. Mehsana District Congress Committee president Rajitsinh Thakor told IANS that local leaders are accessible to voters and citizens, whereas outside candidates are only available when they visit the constituency.

Though there is a demand for local candidates, yet party leaders are confident that whatever decision is taken by the high command will be respected. Popat Avaiya is the first to say that he will toe the party line. In Radhanpur, there is a demand for local candidates but Patan district BJP chief Dasrathji Thakor is confident that all will be well once the party announces the candidates. Lavingji and Nagjibhai too will campaign for the party candidate.