Recruitment drive by state BJPAhead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat has initiated a significant recruitment campaign. Recently, C.J. Chavda, a Congress MLA from Vijapur, resigned. Following this, several key Gujarat Congress figures, including Chirag Kalria, a former MLA from Jamjodhpur, and Balkrishna Patel, a former MLA from Dabhoi, along with Baroda Dairy director Kuldeep Singh Raulji, joined the BJP with their supporters on Monday. Gujarat BJP state president CR Patil welcomed Chirag Kalria and Balkrishna Patel into the party at the state headquarters in Shri Kamalam.Gujarat BJP adopts ‘Special 26’ strategyWith an ambitious target of securing over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP reportedly plans to replace over 20 of its current MPs in Gujarat for the 2024 elections. This decision aligns with the party’s policy of not repeating and giving tickets again to MPs above 65. The strategy involves introducing new and younger candidates to maintain a stronghold in all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. There has been a speculation that the BJP might also allocate Lok Sabha tickets to some of its Rajya Sabha candidates as a part of the strategy they have meticulously planned out.BJP targets Congress’s Rajya Sabha seatsGujarat has 11 Rajya Sabha seats. In April 2024, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections, four of these seats will become vacant as members retire. This includes BJP Union Ministers Parasottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya, as well as Congress MPs Naran Rathwa and Ami Yagnik. The BJP aims to secure these two Congress seats in 2024. Although it’s expected that the BJP will comfortably win three seats based on the 2022 Gujarat assembly results, the fourth seat will be determined by a priority vote. In June 2026, three BJP members and one Congress member will retire, including BJP’s Ram Mokaria and Ramila Bara.Dilip Singh KshatriyaOur correspondent in Gujaratdilipsingh@ newindianexpress.com
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