"The Gujarat BJP's strategy will be for all six crore Gujaratis, including Muslims," Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Parshottam Rupala told IANS.
Minister Jay Narayan Vyas, who holds multiple portfolios, echoed Rupala: "Our slogan is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (Participation and progress for all). The BJP has been working for the progress and development of all Gujaratis, irrespective of caste or community. And our poll strategy will be likewise."
Agreed BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: "Good governance is our poll plank."
But behind the scenes, BJP planners, it is learnt, are trying their best to woo Muslims. They have to, for demography and delimitation dictate so.
Muslims can influence the outcome of the elections in at least 35 of Gujarat's 182 constituencies. In 10 constituencies, the Muslim vote is more than 25 percent. Five of these 10 constituencies lie in Gujarat's largest city, Ahmedabad: Jamalpur-Khadia (61 percent), Dani Limda (48 percent), Dariapur (46 percent), Vejalpur (35 percent) and Bapunagar (28 percent).
