Guj results to set tone for future politics

On Monday, when the Gujarat election results come out, their echo will resonate much beyond the boundaries of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state and will, in a way, set the tone for the 2019 general elections.

Either way, the results will be read as the mood of the nation for despite the state being home to Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, in one of the most keenly contested elections in the history of Gujarat, the ruling party has risked its key support bases — Patidars and traders — on issues of anamat (reservation) and Goods and Services Tax (GST).

For the Congress, it is a chance to cash on the fatigue factor after 22 years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule in the state and on the absence of a strong chief minister. The state has seen two chief ministers in a short span of three years, after Modi resigned from the post to become the Prime Minister in mid-2014.

Rise of Rahul

Besides, this is the election that saw the elevation of Rahul Gandhi, who, as his party’s chief, literally became the face of Congress in Gujarat in the middle of the elections. In fact, in a way, the polls turned …read more