Ahmedabad (Gujarat): The rival political parties have intensified their campaign as the first phase polling of the Gujarat assembly elections slated for December 1 is drawing nearer. Voting will be taken up in 89 seats in the first phase. The star campaigners of ruling BJP, opposition Congress and AAP are leaving no stone unturned to get an upper hand in electioneering.
With no visible issue dominating this election, the contesting parties are picking up all and sundry issues to attack each other. The ruling BJP is mostly banking on the 'double-engine' plank, saying Gujarat will continue to get a better deal if the BJP wins again in the 2022 elections since the party is already ruling at the Centre. On their part, the opposition parties are confident of taking advantage out of 'failures' of the BJP.
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) promises to provide better health care facilities and build 'Mohalla clinics' like in Delhi and Punjab. Accusing the ruling government of not providing better education in the state, Kejriwal-led AAP is giving reference to advanced government schools in Delhi. BJP on the other hand promises to open new educational institutions in the state besides the recent inauguration of Gandhinagar's School of Excellence by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP accused AAP of spreading false propaganda against Gujarat by comparing their schools with the Delhi's schools. The ruling party in Delhi and Punjab charged that Gujarat as having one of the highest electricity tariffs in the country, with the BJP retorting as Delhi having the highest power costs in the nation.