SHAH AT HOME

AS THE UNION HOME MINISTER SEEKS A SECOND TERM FROM GANDHINAGAR, HE BANKS ON THE DEVELOPMENT PLANK AND GUJARATI PRIDE FOR A MASSIVE MANDATE. BUT ISSUES LIKE JOBS AND KSHATRIYA IRE THREATEN TO DENT HIS WINNING MARGIN

- Jumana Shah

TWO DAYS BEFORE AMIT SHAH FILED HIS NOMINATION PAPERS FROM GANDHINAGAR-a seat the Union home minister first won in 2019, with a margin of 557,000-plus votes-he visited 30 voters for whom he is the designated panna pramukh. A panna is a page in the electoral rolls, each assigned a pramukh, or in-charge, by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to mobilise support. "Twenty-seven confirmed that they will vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modiji before 10.30 am on polling day. I've requested the remaining three, who plan to travel, to reschedule their vacation," says Shah, settling down for a Gujarati meal, wife Sonal by his side, at the house of a close associate, amid campaigning the following day.

Earlier that day, on April 18, riding a makeshift chariot atop a mini truck, the 59-year-old waved to supporters jostling on the roads under the scorching sun for a glimpse of their leader. "Raise your hands and take a pledge to vote for the kamal (lotus, the BJP symbol) before 10.30 am on May 7," he exhorted a gathering at Vejalpur, concluding his 10-hour-long road show, as hands shot up in unison. "Now I am relaxed," he said, "to campaign in other parts of the country and return here on the day of voting."

With over two million voters in this Lok Sabha constituency, Shah claims that his team has visited nearly every home at least once. The microscopic attention to detail and the presence of thousands of dedicated foot soldiers, combined with the natural appeal of the idea of voting for aapdo manas (our man/ a Gujarati) as the prime minister, are key to Shah's confidence-so much so that he spent only one day holding road shows and rallies before filing his nomination papers.