Ahmedabad:
In Juhapura of Ahmedabad, AI Sayed, a former police officer, is busy campaigning for the municipal elections. His political leanings come as a surprise to many.
"Narendra Modi is concerned about the development of Gujarat. The 5.5 crore Gujaratis are a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. He is our leader and the chief minister of the state," he says.
Sayed is one of nine Muslim candidates representing the BJP in the municipal elections, scheduled for October 10.
With 548 seats up for grabs, that's a whimper of less than two per cent representation. But it speaks volumes as a political metaphor. It's clear, say analysts, that Modi is trying to puncture his communal image and the corollaries of that reputation, including the recent refusal by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to let Modi campaign for the Nitish-BJP alliance for Bihar's assembly elections.
However, it may take more than a token gesture to convince voters that this is a different, more inclusive Modi. Last year, in the Junagadh municipal polls, Modi fielded two muslim candidates but both lost with a significant margin.
"Narendra Modi is concerned about the development of Gujarat. The 5.5 crore Gujaratis are a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. He is our leader and the chief minister of the state," he says.
Sayed is one of nine Muslim candidates representing the BJP in the municipal elections, scheduled for October 10.
With 548 seats up for grabs, that's a whimper of less than two per cent representation. But it speaks volumes as a political metaphor. It's clear, say analysts, that Modi is trying to puncture his communal image and the corollaries of that reputation, including the recent refusal by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to let Modi campaign for the Nitish-BJP alliance for Bihar's assembly elections.
However, it may take more than a token gesture to convince voters that this is a different, more inclusive Modi. Last year, in the Junagadh municipal polls, Modi fielded two muslim candidates but both lost with a significant margin.
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