2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election

← 2017 December 2022
All 182 seats in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly 92 seats needed for a majority
File:CM--Shri-Bhupendrabhai-Patel.png File:જગદીશ ઠાકુર (1).png File:Gopal in Public Function 11-5-2020.jpg Leader Bhupendra Patel Jagdish Thakor Gopal Italia Party BJP INC AAP Alliance NDA UPA - Leader since 2021 2018 2020 Leader's seat Ghatlodia TBD TBD Last election 49.1%, 99 seats 41.4%, 77 seats 0.1%, 0 seat Current seats 111 63 0
Assembly Constituencies of Gujarat Legislative Assembly
Incumbent Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel BJP

Legislative Assembly elections are speculated be held in Gujarat in December 2022 to elect 182 members of Gujarat Legislative Assembly. The schedule will be released by the Election Commission of India before the election.

Background

The tenure of 14th Gujarat Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 18 February 2023.^[1] The previous assembly elections were held in December 2017. After the election, Bharatiya Janata Party formed the state government, with Vijay Rupani becoming Chief Minister.^[2]

Vijay Rupani resigned from Chief Minister post on 11 September 2021^[3] and he was succeeded by Bhupendra Patel as the new Chief Minister.^[4]

Since the last assembly elections, several bypolls were held, most of which were won by BJP, taking their strength from 99 to 112 seats.^[5]

Local body elections

In 2021, several local body elections were held where BJP significantly gained in comparison to the last elections and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged as an alternative to BJP and the Congress.^[6] One side BJP increased its strength and other side Aam Aadmi Party, Gujarat which made significant inroads started to be considered as a contender in the state.^[7][8]

In 2017, BJP was wiped out in some districts of Saurashtra in Gujarat due to Farmer and Patidar agitation, notably in Amreli and Gir Somnath where it lost all seats to Congress.^[9] However when panchayat elections were held in Amreli along with other districts, BJP gained a two thirds majority translating to a lead on all 5 assembly segments of Amreli, while AAP gaining in rural Gujarat indicated that Gujarat is heading towards a three cornered contest.^[10][11]

In the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections, BJP got super majority by winning 41 out of 44 wards and AAP was the third largest party in terms of vote share, which indicated increasing acceptance of AAP as a third alternative.^[12] However, after AAP's super majority in Punjab, some corporators and members joined AAP.^[13]

Schedule

The election Schedule will be declared by the Election Commission of India at the reasonable time.

Parties and alliances

  National Democratic Alliance

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo
1.	Bharatiya Janata Party			Bhupendrabhai Patel

  United Progressive Alliance

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo
1.	Indian National Congress			Jagdish Thakor	File:જગદીશ ઠાકુર.png

  Aam Aadmi Party

In May 2022, AAP announced alliance with Bharatiya Tribal Party for the election.^[14] However, the alliance was called off in September 2022.^[15]

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo
1.	Aam Aadmi Party[16]			Gopal Italia	File:Gopal in Public Function 11-5-2020.jpg

Others

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo
1.	Nationalist Congress Party			Jayantbhai Patel Boskey
2.	Communist Party of India			Vijay Shenmare
3.	Bharatiya Tribal Party[15]			Chhotubhai Vasava
4.	All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen[17]			Sabir Kabliwala
5.	All India Trinamool Congress[18]			Jitendra Khadayta

Candidates

On 2 August 2022, AAP released the first list of 10 candidates for the election.^[19] A second list of 9 candidates was released by AAP on 18 August.^[20] A third list of 10 AAP canddiates was released on 7 September.^[21] Until September AAP had declared a total of 29 candidates, while no other party had declared its candidates till then.

Issues

Alcohol

In the 2022 Gujarat toxic liquor deaths, 50 people died after consuming illicitly produced liquor. After the incident, alcohol and drug consumption became a major issue for the election.^[24] Congress demanded a probe by the sitting HC judge in the illegal liquor trade in Gujarat.^[25] Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi publicly asked which "ruling forces" are "giving protection to these mafia".^[26] AAP Gujarat president Gopal Italia had demanded an investigation by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the incident.^[27]

Drugs

In September 2021, 2,988.22 kilograms (6,587.9 lb) of heroin was seized from two containers which arrived at Mundra Port, from Bandar Abbas in Iran. Heroin was disguised as a consignment of semi-processed talc stones originating from Afghanistan.^[28] The incident occurred again in May^[29][30] and July 2022,^[31] where 52kg and 75kg of drugs were seized from the port respectively. Notably, the Mundra Port was owned by Gautam Adani, founder of the Adani Group.^[32]

Congress criticized the BJP-led government over their silence right after the September 2021 drug bust^[33] and urged the SC to open a probe, alleging that a drug syndicate was operating from the port. It was also concerned that the drugs were sourced from Afghanistan, saying the illegal sale of these drugs might be used against India by terrorists.^[34] In May, when drugs were again seized at the Mundra Port,^[30] the Congress again criticized the government asking why drugs were repeatedly found in the coastline of Gujarat, "We are not trying to corner the government, we are trying to protect the future generations of India".^[29]

Corruption

The written examination for recruitment of head clerks was held on 12 December 2021 in which with 88,000 aspirants had appeared for 186 vacancies. The exam was conducted by Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB). Asit Vora, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader served as the chairman of GSSSB.

AAP had alleged that before the examination, the question paper was leaked and sold at cost of Rs 8-12 lakh. Later on Gujarat government annulled the exam and announced re-examination scheduled for March 2022. Gujarat police made 18 arrests in the racket.^[35] 500 supporters of AAP staged a protest outside the Shri Kamalam office of the BJP located in Gandhinagar demanding the removal of BJP leader Asit Vora from the post of chairman of the Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board. BJP workers clashed with AAP protestors and the police resorted to lathicharge. BJP leader filed police case against AAP. Ninety-three AAP members were arrested including 28 women. AAP president Italia, AAP women's wing and youth wing presidents were among those arrested. Italia and other AAP leaders spent 10 days in prison before getting bail.^[35]

AAP highlighted the rampant corruption leading to paper leaks for the examinations conducted by the state government being reported since 2015. Kejriwal compared it with the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and called recruitment exams in Gujarat as Maha Vyapam Scam (great Vyapam Scam). AAP promised to create laws that would punish the paper leaking offence with ten years of punishment.^[36]

Congress slammed the government over the paper leaks for the recruitment examinations^[37] They also held a mock assembly in Gandhinagar, highlighting the plight of thousands of job-seekers who had taken the now-cancelled head clerk recruitment exam. All Congress MLAs and party leaders took part in the mock assembly. Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Sukhram Rathwa urged the Gujarat government to conduct a judicial inquiry through a sitting HC judge on the series of exam paper leaks, saying it amounts to cheating the youth of Gujarat. He also alleged that the RSS and the BJP were behind the paper leaks.^[38] and Congress MLAs protested against the paper leaks in the assembly, standing from their seats and displaying posters in connection with the leak, causing the assembly to be adjourned for 15 minutes.^[39] The Congress also staged a protest at Koba, Gandhinagar demanding Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB) chairman and BJP leader Asit Vora to resign.^[40]

Agriculture

In March, thousands of farmers across Gujarat are protesting at their taluka and district headquarters demanding adequate power supply to save standing crops.

“Farmers anywhere in the State are not getting even three hours power supply against the State government’s claim of six hour supply,” said Congress leader Lalit Vasoya, slamming the BJP.^[41]

Unemployment

Unemployment in Gujarat is 2.6%.^[42] Unemployment has been steadily increasing^[43] being 2.2% in October 2021.^{[44][better source needed]} There were four lakh unemployed people registered with state's Employment Exchange Department as on March 2021, out of which 3,85,506 were literate and just five percent were semi-skilled.^[45]

Education

Education in Gujarat has been improving in recent years, although 700 government schools in Gujarat function with only 1 teacher each. As many as 8,500 other primary schools have only two teachers each.^[46]

Malnutrition

Malnutrition has been extremely prevalent in Gujarat, with 39% of children being chronically undernourished or stunted.^[47] It has been steadily increasing, from 38.5% in 2015-16 to 39% in 2019-2020. Anaemia has also been increasing in all age groups and both sexes.^[48]

Price Rise

In April, the Congress held protests in several cities throughout Gujarat against rising fuel prices and inflation. In Amraiwadi, Congress workers brought empty LPG cylinders brought a hard paper cutout of a fuel dispenser during their protest against fuel and cooking gas prices. They also held protests in several other cities where they burnt effigies, sat on dharna protest and even clashed with the police. Around a dozen Congress workers were then detained by the police for burning effigy and protesting without permission.^[49] On 16 May, Congress workers again held a protest against price rise in Rajkot,^[50] led by Rajkot city president Arjun Khatariya. This led to 30 Congress workers being detained by the police, including Khatariya.^[51]

Party manifestos

Aam Aadmi Party

• Education: free education in government schools.^[52] A school will be started in each of the 18,000 village panchayats.^[53]
• Healthcare : free and quality health-care facilities^[52] Kejriwal announced five guarantees for healthcare:^[54]

1. "Everyone in Gujarat will have free and quality healthcare."
2. "There will be no discrimination between rich and poor. Both will have access to quality healthcare,"
3. "Every village and ward will have a mohalla clinic like in Delhi."^[54] Mohalla clinic will be started in each of the 18,000 village panchayats.^[53]
4. "All government hospitals will be improved to the level of private hospitals. And new hospitals will be opened,"
5. "If anybody has an accident, their treatment will be paid for in full, even in a private hospital. We have saved 13,000 lives in Delhi through this,"^[54]

• Employment : AAP had promised 15 lakh government jobs and ₹3000 monthly unemployment allowance if voted to power.^[36], unemployment benefits of Rs 3,000 till they get a job.^[55]
• Women : a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for women.^[52]
• Electricity: 300 units of free electricity to every customer every month similar to those in AAP ruled, Delhi and Punjab.^[52]
• Financial savings: AAP distributed pamphlets during its election campaign, with a list of savings every household will potentially make if AAP comes to power in Gujarat. AAP had calculated a savings of ₹ 11.13 lakh over five years per household. The savings included ₹ 27,600 from subsidised electricity, ₹ 72,000 for annual school fees of two children of a family, ₹ 36,000 in healthcare benefits, ₹ 17,000 towards free pilgrimage for aged persons. An income of ₹ 36,000 for unemployed youth at the rate of ₹ 3,000 per month. Another income of ₹ 24,000 was shown for two adult females of each household at the rate of Rs 1,000 per month. A saving of ₹ 10,000 spent on bribes annually was also included as AAP promised a corruption-free government that will no longer require families to bribe government officials.^[56]

• Agriculture : On 2 September Kejriwal announced five guarantees for farmers in Devbhumi Dwarka district.^[52]

1. Loan waivers of Rs 2 lakh for farmers
2. Free electricity for 12 hours during the day
3. Purchase of the crops at the minimum support price (MSP)
4. Compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre of land in case of crop failure
5. Cancellation of the current land survey and conducting of new land survey.^[52]

• Tribals : In August Kejriwal announced implementation of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) Act that gives special powers to Gram Sabhas (village councils) in the management of natural resources.^[55][57]

1. "strict implementation of PESA Act" along with the formation of a Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) headed by a tribal leader^[56]
2. state-of-the-art residential schools for tribal children to teach tribal history, language, culture, and traditions and also to carry out research on these topics.^[56]

• Villages:

1. Village heads to be provided a fixed salary of ₹10,000^[53]
2. Development grant of ₹10 lakh to each village every year to develop infrastructure and civic amenities in the villages^[53]
3. Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) who work on commission basis to get a salary of ₹20,000^[53]

• Traders: He announced involvement of the trading community in the government's decision-making process and an end of the 'raid raj' (raid regime).^[55]
• ₹1 crore compensation for policemen killed in the line of duty.^[54]

• Raising salaries of public transport staff.^[54]
• Implementation of the Old Pension Scheme.^[58]

Indian National Congress

• Employment: The Indian National Congress promised to create additional 5 lakh jobs in two years. 10 lakh jobs by 2024 with 5 lakh jobs reserved for women. Abolition of contract system in govt jobs and unemployment allowance of Rs 3000 for youth within 1 year of government formation.^{[59][60][61][62]} Congress promised 10 lakh jobs for youth and the implementation of the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Scheme, which will give work and economic support to poor families residing in the cities for atleast 100 days per year, as it did in Rajasthan.^[63]

• Healthcare: In August, Congress released its healthcare manifesto named Jan Arogya Sankalp Patra. It promised free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh and free organ transplants if voted to power. It also said it would increase the healthcare budget of the state, and also create a special law to reduce gender imbalance. Places with gender imbalances would be identified and Rs 3000 per month would be given to the bank accounts of daughters, and assistance of Rs 30 lakh to those who have only daughters in old age. It promised Rs 4 lakh assistance to over 3 lakh families of Covid victims. Among its other promises included Renovation of PHC and CHC hospitals across the state with modern and adequate facilities and recruition of specialist doctors, paramedical staff at all levels to strengthen the health service of the state. Setup of a 'tricolour clinic' (Tiranga Clinic) in urban areas to provide "service, diagnosis, treatment" at the ward level.^{[64][60][65][62]} After Aam Aadmi Party announced Mohalla clinics for Gujarat along the lines of those it built in Delhi, Congress copied the promise and announced to open 'Janata Dawakhana' (Public pharmacy).^[66]

• Education: Congress promised to set up a "Mahatma Gandhi Model School" at every taluka along with a "Mahatma Gandhi Education Complex" from primary to higher education.^[67] It also promised to open 3,000 English-medium schools, and free education to girls from KG to PG.^{[64][60][61][62]}

• Corruption: Congress promised stricter anti-corruption laws and scrutiny of corruption of the last 27 years, along with jail term to the guilty.^{[64][60][61][62]}

• Agriculture: Congress promised to waive farmers' loans up to 3 lakh and also waive agriculture-related electricity bills. Subsidy of Rs 5 per litre to milk producers, pressure on the central government to abolish GST on farm implements, fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. Cancellation of the current land survey and conduction of new land survey. ^[68][64][60]

• Price Rise: Congress promised free electricity for every household up to 300 units and also to cap the price of a gas cylinder at Rs 500.^[64][60][62]
• Senior Citizens: Congress promised restoration of the Old Pension Scheme in Gujarat, similar to Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.^[69]

• Compensation: Increased compensation for next kin of soldiers and police officer's killed in the line of duty.^[70]

Campaigns

Aam Aadmi Party

Aam Aadmi Party, Gujarat started its election campaign for Gujarat on 2 April with a Padayatra.^[71] In May 2022, AAP declared its alliance with Bharatiya Tribal Party for the assembly elections.^[14] However, the alliance was called off in September 2022.^[15]

On 2 August 2022, AAP convenor and the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed a public rally in Veraval, Saurashtra. He said, "Until we find them work, every jobless youth will receive Rs 3,000 per month in unemployment benefits,". He promised to generate 10 lakh government job vacancies as one of AAP's pre-election "guarantees." He said that AAP will ensure that every unemployed youth will get work within the next five years. The electorate was also promised 300 units of free electricity to every customer every month.^[72] AAP has also promised Rs 1,000 monthly allowance to willing women, free and better education, health.^[73]

AAP has announced Rozgaar Guarantee Yatra in three districts of North Gujarat namely Patan, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha. The campaign would appeal to the unemployed youth.^[74] In Saurashtra region, the party announced ₹2 Lakh worth loan waivers, higher MSP, minimum 12 hours of power supply for irrigation, and compensation in the event of crop loss to the farmers.^[75] AAP had promised 15 lakh government jobs and ₹3000 monthly unemployment allowance if voted to power.^[36]

In the months leading to the election, several protests were held in the state where AAP supported the protestors.^[76]

Indian National Congress

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched the party's campaign in Gujarat on September 5, 2022. He promised free electricity, farm loan waiver upto ₹3 lakh, 10 lakh jobs, compensation to families affected by Covid-19 pandemic, LPG cylinder for ₹500, free education for girls, 3,000 new English medium schools and subsidy to dairy farmers.^[77]

On September 5, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the Ahmedabad and attended the "Parivartan Sankalp Sammelan". In this trip he made speeches criticizing the BJP government and released a slew of promises to the people of Gujarat.^[78]

The Indian National Congress led a state-wide "bandh" on September 10 in Gujarat as a protest against price rise and unemployment.^[79] They led demonstrations in Bharuch and other parts of Gujarat as well regarding price rise and unemployment.^[80]

On 22 September, the Congress launched a "Yuva Parivartan Yatra" (Youth for Change March) in Gujarat from Ambaji, which will be going through several towns and cities.^[81] It included many GPCC and Gujarat Youth Congress leaders. It will pass 27 districts. It will be held in two stages from Ambaji to Umargam and Somanth to Suigam. The yatra will travel more than 2100 kilometres across the state.^[82] The Congress has been distributing door-to-door "Vachan Patras" or promise letters throughout the yatra, which contain 8 promises of the Congress and 4-point failures of the BJP government. It aims to deliver upto 1.55 crore (15.5 million) of such promise letters before the elections.^[83]

On 28 September, the Congress took out a day-long yatra in Saurashtra, starting from Rajkot and concluding at Sidsar, Junagadh. The yatra was received by Patidar leader Naresh Patel at Ma Khodiyar Temple, who will welcome the rally with 500 vehicles at the temple in Rajkot.^[84]

In recent months, many protests have been held in Gujarat, in which the Congress backed the protestors.^[76]

Incidents

Aam Aadmi Party

On 11 September 2022, Ahmedabad police raided AAPs data management office in Ahmedabad. AAP said the ruling party was "extremely rattled" by the "immense support" received by AAP in Gujarat. There has been a series of raids in which AAP leaders were targeted by agencies under the BJP-led Union government.^[85][86]

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of trying to "crush" the AAP in the name of fighting corruption as they feared of getting defeated in the election. He said that the Modi government was trying to implicate AAP leaders in false corruption cases as the BJP is "not able to digest the growing popularity of the AAP in Gujarat". He said that the AAP's growing influence in Gujarat has rattled BJP and that "the prime minister's advisor Hiren Joshi has warned several TV channels owners and their editors not to give coverage to AAP party in Gujarat, threatening them with dire consequences".^[87]

AAP national joint secretary Isudan Gadhvi said that BJP had been preventing AAP spokesperson from debate by threatening TV Media. Gadhvi said that in order to prevent an upcoming rally by Kejriwal in Vadodara, BJP threatened the owners of 13 venues and forced them to cancel AAP's election programmes. Kejriwal said that stopping the opposition parties from holding election programmes was wrong for the ruling party BJP.^[88][89]

Indian National Congress

On 21 September 2022, 15 Congress MLAs including Jignesh Mevani were suspended from the Gujarat Assembly for a day following chaos with Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathva, a Congress leader, demanding a special half-hour on various issues, mainly about agitating government employees, farmers, anganwadi workers and ex-servicemen. When assembly speaker Nimaben Acharya refused Rathva's demand, Congress MLAs shouted slogans and raised placards against the BJP government.^[90] The following day another 10 Congress MLAs were suspended for a day (from the assembly) over chaos, as they shouted slogans demanding a discussion on the OBC reservation, after speaker Acharya again declined a discussion. Many MLAs raised slogans and placards such as raised "Give OBCs, 27 per cent reservation" and "We demand caste-based census".^[91]