A number of important factors were taken into account prior to the release of the list of candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. These included public favorability, the candidates’ work on the ground, their viability, and instilling young blood.
The initial list, which was made public on Thursday at the party headquarters in Delhi, included 160 names out of 182. Compared to the 2017 assembly elections, there was a clear effort to include younger candidates. Out of the 160 candidates the BJP has announced, 11 are under the age of 40, and 53 of the candidates on the list are under the age of 50.
“The average age of the candidates, which earlier in 2017 was at 60 years, has now been brought down to the 50s,” a source said. What wasn’t possible in 2017 is now happening in 2022.
Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister, and Nitin Patel, a former deputy chief minister, are among the senior party leaders among the former ministers who didn’t find their names on the list because they had already written to the party leadership expressing their desire not to run in the upcoming elections.
Gujarat will experience a three-way race for the first time, with the much-discussed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as one of the contenders.
“People would understand that the AAP has put in quite a bit of effort to balance the caste equations and also focus on young faces. The fact is that BJP has been the ruling party in Gujarat for the longest. People have seen and voted for the same faces for years. It is thereby important to cut off any anti-incumbency, if any, and for the party to instil young blood. And look at Gujarat 10 years down the line,” a BJP functionary told ANI.
“This is a party where an ordinary party worker with a humble background went on to become the prime minister of the country, and the message that needs to go to the youth is very simple. If they work hard and bring in new energy, they will be rewarded with a chance to prove themselves,” another BJP leader said.
Up to 17 turncoats, including Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakor, have been put on the ballot with consideration given to their caste equation and winnable positions.
Hardik Patel has been recalled from his hometown of Viramgam, and Alpesh Thakore from Gandhinagar. We saw that the two were active and that Thakor won by a huge margin. If they are in our party and in a position to get a win for us, why would they be made to sit out?” A senior leader said.
The BJP has used popularity and local presence as important criteria when allocating tickets for the upcoming assembly elections. The party’s fortunes have been greatly impacted by urban seats. Urban areas have made a concerted effort to restore their image of leadership.