Gujarat assembly elections: PM Narendra Modi to be BJP's face

BJP spokesperson Harshad Patel said said that PM Modi will be the face of our party on whom the party will go for the 2017 Gujarat elections.

Ahmedabad, April 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be face of the BJP in the Gujarat assembly elections due later this year, according to senior state party leaders who see these polls in his home state as a "battle of prestige".

The party cannot afford a poor show in state elections as Modi gained popularity in the country on the 'Gujarat model of development', following which the voters in the country elevated him to the chair of Prime Minister in 2014.

The party has in the recent past faced many upheavals in the state, like the Patel quota agitation, the Una Dalit flogging incident and deficient rainfall for three consecutive years leading to agrarian distress. The BJP is also likely to face anti-incumbency as it has been in power in the state for over 22 years. "PM Modi is our national face. He will be the face banking on whom the party will go for the 2017 Gujarat elections," a senior state BJP leader said.

"There is no question on who will be the face of our party. It would be PM Modi," state BJP spokesperson Harshad Patel said. "We will fight the elections on the popularity of Modi and strategy of party president Shah," he said.

"Our preparations are going on in full swing for the elections. We have appointed observers for each of the 182 Assembly seats," he added. "We have formed various committees like an election manifesto committee, a parliamentary board to select candidates, a disciplinary committee and also appointed our senior leader Kaushik Patel as head of the campaign committee for the elections," he said.

PTI