Gujarat Assembly polls to be held in December 2017, hints CM

Amid speculation about early Assembly polls in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday indicated that the polls would be held only in December 2017, as per schedule.

“This is the first Diwali of this new government. As the Assembly polls are in December next year, this government will also celebrate the second Diwali in 2017,” Rupani said, speaking to reporters in Valsad when asked if his government would celebrate next year’s Diwali too.

Rupani took charge as Gujarat Chief Minister in August this year after Anandiben Patel stepped down.

Since this sudden change of guard, Gujarat Congress leaders have been claiming that early Assembly elections are possible. State Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki recently asked the party workers to gear up for early polls.

“BJP will face severe defeat in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where polls will be held in the mid-2017. BJP may not want to cloud their prospects in Gujarat with those defeats. So it is highly possible that polls in Gujarat would take place simultaneously with Punjab and UP,” Solanki had said.