Sunday surprise: #BJPMuktGujarat top Twitter trend, Gujarat BJP for the first time on backfoot on social media

Image of pulses in many tweets

By A Representative
Ever imagined what was trending at the very top on Twitter on Sunday morning? #BJPMuktGujarat! There was a virtual flow of tweets on the theme, with mostly Gujaratis from the middle-classes strongly supporting the “need” for change in the state following the announcement of local body elections, be held in November-end.
Next to #BJPMuktGujarat to trend on twitter was #AAPNotWithDelhi, followed by #HelloEmblem3, #FloridaState and #SelfieForNash. This continued till about 10 am, after which #MannKiBaat started trending at the top.
Many of the top tweets in the #BJPMuktGujarat category, came from the Patidaar community, whose supreme leader 22-year-old Hardik Patel is currently in custody under sedition charges. They pointed towards how Gujarat is a failed model, even as suggesting how price rise has hit the common man.
Some even suggested that change is already visible. “Patel Quota stir effect: NSUI wins most seats in Surat colleges October 24, 2015”, said @3voiceshy, quoting an Indian Express report on Sunday, which says that of the 70 colleges under the Veer Narmad University of Surat, the National Students Union of India, Congress' students wing, claims to have won 52.

Then there were tweets like by the one by @vimaymunoth74, which says, “Ram jethmalani said NaMo has fooled people of this country. #BJPMuktGujarat”, and “change it to #modimuktgujrat @Bjp is not so bad #BJPMuktGujarat”, suggesting that some of the BJP supporters were also part of the campaign.
A few tweets highlighted basic developmental issues such as the one by @faridapatel “BJP is ruling on Guj over 25yrs. But still today not only villages bt cities r also lacking basic facilities #BJPMuktGujarat.”
While there was a continuous flow of tweets from the Congress' IT cell to chip in and seek to “explode” the Gujarat model, the BJP tweets are found to be seeking to send in their reply pretty meekly.
While officially there is no tweet from the BJP in Gujarat, @BJPMissionAssam has been fielded to say, “#AAPNotWithDelhi #BJPMuktGujarat #bjpwithGujrat #bjpwithIndia. #Presstitutes @aajtak @ndtv @TimesNow avoid those”.
Many tweets displayed huge images of the prices of pulses in Gujarat, as also showing a comparison of the “simplicity” Narendra Modi before he joined politics and a man in rich attire after he became Gujarat chief minister, of poverty in Gujarat, and of how law and order situation in Gujarat has deteriorated.
Then, there were tweets which said, “bjp is killing d poor n empowering d corporates..beware of bjp....its as dark as dangerous for d country #BJPMuktGujarat”, and “Not just #BJPMuktGujarat but ##BJPMuktIndia too... They have rotten India to its core in just one year. Great accomplishment, Narendra Modi”.

A BJP reply to #BJPMuktGujarat

There were few tweets, which said #BJPMuktGujarat is “not possible”, or it is the “joke of the day”, or “#BJPMuktGujarat is like water without ocean”. But such critical tweets were very few. Refusing to give any credit to Congress' IT cell, one @mukeshpathakji tweeted, “#BJPMuktGujarat is trending... thanks to all the fake accounts run by #aaptards and other sootiyas”.
According to keen observers, a major reason why #BJPMuktGujarat became the main trending event on Sunday morning was, the Gujarat government dilly-dallied on local body elections for rather too long, going so far as to issue an ordinance to postpone it. However, the State Election Commission was forced to announce polls following a High Court order.
How nervous the BJP in Gujarat can be gauged from a TV interview by chief minister Anandiben Patel, who accused the Congress of “clandestinely supporting” the pro-quota agitation of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). She did not say whether her allusion was to the Congress has demanded a 15 per cent reservation for the economically poor sections of the dominant castes outside the other backward class (OBC) quota.

Comments

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

Mergers and privatisation: The Finance Minister’s misguided banking agenda

By Thomas Franco The Finance Minister has once again revived talk of merging two or three large public sector banks to make them globally competitive. Reports also suggest that the government is considering appointing Managing Directors in public sector banks from the private sector. Both moves would strike at the heart of India’s public banking system . Privatisation undermines the constitutional vision of social and economic justice, and such steps could lead to irreversible damage.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Shrinking settlements, fading schools: The Tibetan exile crisis in India

By Tseten Lhundup* Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala has established the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the guardian of Tibetan culture and identity. Once admired for its democratic governance , educational system , and religious vitality , the exile community now faces an alarming demographic and institutional decline.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Search This Blog