DAM-L LS: Modi's worry: Will water drown BJP's chances? (fwd)

["D. Murray" <dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>]

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Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2002 10:52:14 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200204231752.g3NHqEU01323@DaVinci.NetVista.net>
Subject: LS: Modi's worry: Will water drown BJP's chances?
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Modi's worry: Will water drown BJP's chances?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Articleshow.asp?art_id=7068969

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2002  4:20:29 PM ]

HMEDABAD: Don't bank on Hindutva yet. Water and power, the two basic
necessities of life and business, could swing the vote in Gujarat. And upset
Chief Minister Narendra Modi's bold gambit.

Political analysts say the Hindutva wave alone may not take the ruling
administration to power. The severe power and water crises that have gripped
the state could dampen the BJP's poll prospects. Obviously, Modi is worried.

A 2,500-MW power shortfall in Gujarat has triggered power cuts in both urban
and rural areas, upsetting agriculture and industry. Recently, there were
reports of attacks on Gujarat Electricity Board's sub-stations in
Saurashtra. A Bharatiya Kisan Sangh delegation also met state Energy
Minister Kaushik Patel to apprise the government about the hardships faced
by farmers.

BKS General Secretary Maganbhai Patel has warned the state government of an
agitation if the power supply does not improve. The government will have to
face the wrath of farmers, he says.

Interestingly, Modi's own constituency may thirst for water. Already, the
government has admitted that there is no way Rajkot can get more water this
summer from the Narmada canal. That's bad enough.

But there's worse to come. Over 2,000 villages of Saurashtra, North Gujarat
and Panchmahals may face drinking water shortages. And water could be scarce
even in Ahmedabad and Vadodara. As many as eight districts are likely to
face the brunt of the summer: Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Jamnagar,
Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, and Panchmahals.

Sources close to the chief minister point out that "the CM is now veering to
the view that Hindutva should not be the only poll plank. Development work
should be stressed upon too, lest people get the wrong message."

True, water and power could send the wrong message if they continue to be
elusive.

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