BJP leader Bhupat Bhayani shot at near Junagadh

Jun 4, 2012

RAJKOT: A BJP leader in Junagadh district, Bhupat Bhayani, was injured when six unidentified persons opened fire at him in Parapipaliya village of Bhesan taluka on Sunday.

Party sources said that Bhayani was returning to Bhesan from Gandhinagar in his car when he was attacked. Six persons intercepted his vehicle and opened fire and as soon as his car reached near Parapipaliya village.

"Bhayani was injured seriously and was rushed to private hospital in Junagadh. Later he was referred to a private hospital in Rajkot,'' party sources said.

According to sources, Bhayani, 42, is a member of taluka panchayat in Bhesan and vice president of BJP's youth wing in Junagadh. His wife Sumita is also an elected member in Junagadh district panchayat.

Soon after the incident, senior BJP leaders including Vijay Rupani rushed to the hospital in Rajkot.

"Bhayani had ruckus with local people in Bhesan few days ago and they wanted to take revenge," Rupani told.

BJP eyes Kadva Patel & Koli votes

 Mar 20, 2012,

The selection of Mansukh Mandavia and Shankar Vegad -the two new names in the BJP's list for Rajya Sabha elections later this month - is not as unexpected as it appears.

Sources in the party say that the two leaders have been chosen mainly to win over Kadva Patel and Koli voters who have been alienated from the party for some time.

More importantly, both leaders have the approval of chief minister Narendra Modi who has played a decisive role in selection of candidates from Gujarat, the sources added. The third nominee is leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state.

Mandavia belongs to the Kadva Patel community and, according to sources, has the support of BJP workers in his region. Kadva Patels are an important community in Saurashtra where the party did not fare well in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Mandavia's selection for Rajya Sabha is expected to fetch the party his community's support.

The Kadva Patel leader is believed to have come to Modi's attention because of the impressive work done by him for the party's Sangathan Parva (organization festival). The Parva was aimed at strengthening the BJP as an organization and Mandavia was the convenor of the whole exercise.

Similar considerations seem to have influenced the selection of Shankar Vegad. In the last Lok Sabha elections, the party had lost support among Koli voters of Surendranagar. Hence, Vegad has been chosen for the Rajya Sabha as he has a strong support base among the Koli voters of Surendranagar, sources said.

The BJP candidate was defeated by Soma Patel of the Congress in the 2009 parliamentary elections from Surendranagar.

Vegad is the vice-president of Surendranagar city BJP and has been a member of the municipality for 20 years.

He has strong support among party workers in the area and knows the mindset of local voters, the sources said.

Jeep of BJP leader detained in Ahmedabad

Mar 19, 2012

Police on Saturday night detained a Bolero jeep carrying banners of BJP near Gozaria railway crossing in Mehsana. According to police officials, the jeep belonged to the president of Mehsana taluka panchayat. It was detained on the charges of breaking the model code of conduct in place due to the Mansa by-election.

On Saturday night, some Congress party workers learned that a Bolero jeep with number GJ2 G 507 was moving in the Gozaria village with BJP banners and other material. The plate of jeep read 'President- Mehsana Taluka Panchayat'.

When they stopped the jeep, they found banners of BJP in it. The workers immediately informed the Langnaj police about the jeep. After reaching the spot, police found banners and posters of BJP. They detained the jeep for breaking the model code of conduct during election.

Who will Congress, BJP field for RS from Gujarat?

Sunday, Mar 18, 2012

This weekend is that of fervent political speculations - over the Rajya Sabha candidates of Congress and BJP.

The terms of three BJP MPs -Vijay Rupani, Arun Jaitley and Kanjibhai Patel -and Congress’s Pravin Rashtrapal will be ending this month. While BJP late on Friday evening announced that Jaitley will be repeated, guesswork is rife on the other two candidates.

Names of Shivlal Vekariya or Bhavnaben Chikhalia from Saurashtra and Bhupendrasinh Chudasama or IK Jadeja are doing the rounds.

Another name is that of Ram Jethmalani’s son Mahesh, but party sources are not particularly keen on him.

The theory is that the combination of a Saurashtra candidate & Kshatriya has to be maintained. “There can’t be two candidates from outside,” a source said. While the others are known faces in political circles, Vekariya is a relatively low-key much respected veteran from Saurashtra. He was an elected BJP MP in 1991 but left with Shankersinh Vaghela and rejoined in 2002.

“But these are mere speculations, one can never tell, period. There can and will be a surprise. Modi is taking a call on these two candidates. Jaitley was central leadership’s decision. All we know is that it will be a very strategic decision keeping the forthcoming state and then LS elections in mind,” a source said.

BJP sources believe Modi strictly follows no-repeat policy. There has been buzz that Rupani might be repeated but sources believe his utility would be higher in managing elections for Saurashtra where BJP is on a sticky wicket.

Lack of clarity prevails in Congress as well. One theory doing the rounds is that Rashtrapal will be repeated with an eye on the party’s depleting Dalit vote bank.

Other probable candidates are former Sabarkantha MP Madhusudan Mistry and Shankersinh Vaghela. Mistry has risen to the top echelons of the party in the Congress working committee.
Though Vaghela heads the campaign committee of the party in Gujarat, he is believed to be desperate for a national role.

BJP protests against latest petrol price hike in Rajkot

Nov 5.
Rajkot, Nov 5(ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today protested against the recent petrol price hike by the state-run oil companies in Rajkot, Gujarat.
 
The BJP activists burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and demanded Union Finance Minister Praban Mukherjee's resignation.
"Pranab Mukherjee is fooling the people of this country.

I believe he is not capable of running the government. They should immediately resign and seek mandate from the people. In coming days people will decide," said Dhansukh Bhanderi, a BJP worker

The fuelretailers raised petrol prices by about 2.7 percent on November 4.
 
The move, aimed at cutting revenue losses of oil firms, is likely to add pressure to high inflation in the country.
 
"We will have harness horse in it (vehicle) to make it run. The hike in petrol prices has become unbearable now. I don't know what has happened to the government," added Nilesh Parikh, a local. (ANI)

Good news for BJP from Veraval and from Sabarkantha

Oct. 23. 2011
Gujarat BJP regained power in Veraval municipality yesterday after all 21 members of ruling Jan Jagruti Manch joined BJP in a function held here in presence of state BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vijaybhai Rupani.
Along with the 21 members, entire Kharva community, local associations involved in fishing and shipping business also joined the BJP.
Exactly one year ago, in October 2010, municipality election was held in Veraval and rebel group of BJP – consisting members of Bar Gam Kharva Samaj and united under the banner of Jan Jagruti Manch – secured victory over local body
Now all 21 members including President Ravi Gohil and his wife who is the Vice President have joined the BJP, and the party is once again ruling on this important town of Saurashtra.
Sabarkantha
In another development, the district general secretary of Congress party in north Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district has joined BJP. District’s Bayad taluka’s Gabat Thakor saheb family’s Virbhadrasinh Dalpatsinh Jhala joined BJP in a public function on Friday evening in presence of two state ministers and other party leaders

Wankaner prince joins BJP

RAJKOT, Date :- 20/06/2011 : Kesridevsinh Zala, 28, yuvraj of erstwhile princely state of Wankaner in Rajkot district, on Sunday joined BJP in the presence of chief minister Narendra Modi at the royal palace. On Sunday, over 18 royal families of Saurashtra region felicitated Modi for the development work he has carried out.

Kesridevsinh Zala's father Digvijaysinh Zala has been a Congress leader and was a Union environment minister. However, he is not active in politics since the past few years. The felicitation memento describes various schemes and works carried out by the Modi government and praises him for Vibrant Gujarat summits. It says that "people want you (Modi) to be a prime minister and we wish you to achieve this as you are a 'rajpurush'".

While welcoming Modi, Shivbhadrasinhji Gohil of erstwhile princely state of Bhavnagar, described the definition of 'kshatriya' and said, "I would say that in my opinion, there are two kshatriyas by their karma. One was Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel and the other is Narendra Modi." Gohil said, "Royal families have been pro-people in their rule and have provided best examples of development."

"This is the first time that the chief minister and royals from the princely states from across the region got together. Modi's work has been inspirational for many and is model one," said Digvijaysinh Zala. "Modi has been doing a good job and under his able leadership the state has achieved new heights of progress," said Kesridevsinh Zala.

Modi welcomed Zala to BJP and said times are changing and the youth has a major role to play. "In 1947, all the princely states handed over their 'raj' to the nation and their contribution is unmatched," Modi said. "To give away the rule is difficult,'' he said, hinting at the emergency. Members of erstwhile princely states of Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Sinhori (Rajasthan), Lunavada, Limbadi, Devgadh Baria, Lakhtar, Lathi, Muli, Chuda, Virpur, Balashinor, Patdi, Jetpur, Mansa, Poshina and Sanand were present on this occasion.

Now, Surat MJP chief rejoins BJP

Tue Jul 12 2011, 03:39 hrs Surat: 

After Saurashtra, Surat was considered a stronghold of the fledgling Mahagujarat Janta Party comprising BJP renegades. But the exodus back to the parent party from MJP ranks has begun here as well.


Surat city MJP president Arvind Rana rejoined the BJP at a function here on Sunday evening.



His resignation came close on the heels of Saurashtra MLA Balu Tanti who rejoined the BJP a week ago. Rana was the chairman of standing committee and town planning committee in the civic body during his stint with the BJP.


Previously, MJP leaders Ranjit Chimna, Nalin Kadiwala and Hasmukh Jogani had rejoined the BJP.



Rana, who lost the civic polls on an MJP ticket by 2,400 votes said: “We did a lot of hard work and spent sleepless nights during elections, but achieved nothing. The wave is in favour of the BJP. People came to our public meetings to show their support, but voted for the BJP in the elections.”