BJP hopes to do a UP in Gujarat

After a remarkable victory in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP leadership has now set its sights on 'mission 150' and a step forward to that the party is apparently trying to do an Assam in Gujarat again.

According sources, the party is in talks with 10 leaders of the Congress party including sitting MLAs. Among 182, Congress only has 57 MLAs, NCP-2, JD (U)-1 and Independent-1.

Local media reports say, a section of Congress party is demanding Shankersinh Vaghela, former Gujarat CM as the CM face on behalf of the party. Adding further, the party wishes to stitch a strong anti-BJP alliance with NCP also.

On the other hand, Sharad Pawar led NCP also may rope in the young Patidar leader Hardik Patel in the alliance, who had been at loggerheads with the incumbent BJP government over his demands for a reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the sizeable "Patidar" community.

Meanwhile, BJP's national president, and the party's poll engineer Amit Shah is also keeping a close eyes on the electoral development at his home turf. Shah and his war room choose to implement the Assam model, which brought great success in both in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. BJP fielded 48 turncoats from SP, BSP and Congress in Uttar Pradesh and 44 won.

Shah, who is a sitting MLA from Naranpura of West- Ahmedabad will also be in a two day visit to the state on Wednesday. He will address "Vijay Vishwas Karyakarta Sammelan" in the afternoon on the first day of his visit. On Thursday, he also will be visiting state Assembly and also may hold a meeting with party legislators.

In the last week PM Modi also held a breakfast meet at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence here with all Parliamentarians from Gujarat with an extensive discussion on the upcoming poll. BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani also attended the meeting. According to sources, each MP has been given charge to co-ordinate with five local MLAs. To buck anti-incumbency, the party top brass wants to field young leaders ( around 2/3rd according to party sources).

As per the recent media report Yogi Adityanath, new UP CM and party's firebrand 'Hindutva' face will be among the show-stoppers that the BJP will use in its campaign in Gujarat. Assembly Elections are due in December, 2017 in Gujarat.