Spotlight on Saurashtra as Modi, Shah, Rahul, and Sanjay Singh visit Gujarat ahead of poll season

As Gujarat— for long a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold—moves toward assembly elections, all three major national parties are intensifying their efforts. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have “tightened their belts,” while senior BJP ministers and leaders appear to be keeping one foot in Delhi and the other in Gujarat, reflecting the state’s growing political urgency.

Top leaders descend on Saurashtra

Saurashtra is drawing national attention as senior leaders step up their visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bhavnagar on Saturday to inaugurate development projects worth several crores of rupees.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected in Junagadh to guide district presidents at a party training camp. His trip, originally planned for Thursday, was delayed after bad weather in Delhi grounded his flight. He is now expected to reach the city on Friday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Rajkot on the first day of Navratri to address a cooperative convention. AAP MP Sanjay Singh is touring the state to highlight issues in the flood-prone Ghed region.

Parties gear up for municipal and assembly polls

Although assembly elections are months away, upcoming municipal polls have sharpened the political contest. Congress leaders have intensified their outreach to rural constituencies in Saurashtra, with Rahul Gandhi visiting Gujarat five times in the past six months.

The BJP is also focusing on the region amid reports of anti-incumbency. Modi’s and Shah’s consecutive visits are being viewed as part of a broader strategy to reinforce the party’s presence.

AAP, buoyed by its win in the Visavadar bypoll, is seeking to expand its base. Sanjay Singh said at the end of the “Save Ghed” march that the party would raise the region’s concerns in Parliament.

Saurashtra takes centre stage

With leaders from all three national parties making frequent appearances, Saurashtra has become the focal point of Gujarat politics. The region’s mix of urban and rural seats, and its history of influencing state-wide outcomes, makes it central to the coming electoral battles.