Kutch Local Body Elections: Development Issues Dominate Campaign

(By Vinod Gala) Bhuj તા.25: Campaigning for local body elections has come to a standstill. Now that voting is tomorrow, 1065 candidates are in the fray for a total of 422 seats in one municipal corporation, five municipalities, nine taluka panchayats, one district panchayat of Kutch. Out of a total of 1866 polling stations, 518 are sensitive while 21 are very sensitive. As far as the political picture of Kutch is concerned, the BJP has dominated for more than two and a half decades. However, the talk of development is central to the campaign, whether it is the BJP's state leaders or government ministers. Now the question is, if there is proper development, why is there resentment among the people? Yes, there has been development, but the candidates of office bearers and officials have increased their power. Thus, for the people, the Narmada canal breach, potholes in the roads, encroachment of people's fields or villages by gauchar companies, the problem of frequent lightening, the helplessness of the people in front of the land mafia, the sale of liquor and the saffron law are different questions for the BJP or the Congress.