Farmers in Botad raised some issues with BJP and some are even angry with BJP. However, BJP may win this election with at least 60 percent support.
Team Jan Ki Baat moved to next stoppage Botad during its election journey in the Gujarat. Botad is a newly formed district apart from Bhavnagar. Reporter Jay Ji, Nishchhal and Shadab Khan spoke with different kind of people in Botad. Farmers showed some anger and complained about irrigation system, lack of water and electricity and most importantly the insufficient price for their yields. However despite this outrage, BJP may win in Botad once again this time.
Botad consists mostly farmers and their main occupation is obviously farming. Mainly they farm cotton and peanut mainly. In our ground reprot we found that Farmers will play key role in deciding the fate of different candidates standing for elections in Botad. Team Jan Ki Baat also went to “Khetibadi Samiti” in Botad to know more about farmers issues. One farmer was quoted as saying, “We don’t get enough price for our production“.
“I came here from 15 km to sell my cotton but they gave me only 900 rs which is quite insufficient” a farmer said. As we started to talk with him many other gathered around us and all had their complaints regarding Government policies for farmers in the state. Someone told us about irregular electricity as a major problem of this area. Someone had problem of insufficient water supply too. They told about low prices for their yields. A majority of farmers agreed with the slogan “Vikas pagal ho gya hai“.
We moved further and spoke with traders and shopkeepers. Here they favored BJP. They were happy with GST and other policies of BJP government and were confident about the next term of BJP in Gujarat. We also spoke with local public and they were also supportive of local BJP candidate Saurabh Patel. Majority of people admitted that Saurabh Patel had done well for them in Botad and they will vote for him.
Saurabh Patel is current BJP candidate from Botad. He has already won two assembly election from Botad. After winning two times continuously he was nominated from Akota, Vadodara in 2012. He was elected from there as well. In 2012 Assembly elections T.M. Maniya was elected from Botad on the BJP ticket.
However people did not look satisfied with shri Maniya and they had many complaint against him. Even some of them explicitly told us that they will vote for Congress. But nomination of Saurabh Patel has given them a huge sigh relief to local people. Local leader and probable Congress candidate from Botad D.M. Patel has a good image too.
We went to almost 500 people and spoke with at least 200 people including farmers, traders, shopkeepers, tea vendors and local public. Poor performance of current MLA, a good image of local Congress leader and major farmers issues have distracted almost 40 percent of voters from BJP. In spite of that Modi government’s work in center and a great impact of current BJP nominee Saurabh Patel will manage enough voters in favor of BJP. Therefore BJP may win this close battle in Botad.
– This story has been done by Shadab Khan & Sparsh Upadhyay.
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