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Congress to kick off Gujarat campaign on November 11

Shahid K Abbas in New Delhi

The Congress party on Saturday afternoon decided to kick off their election campaign in Gujarat on November 11 from Karamsad (Anand), the birthplace of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the country's first home minister and deputy prime minister.

All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of the state, Kamal Nath, said he was confident that the Congress party would dislodge the 'corrupt and inept' Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Narendra Modi.

He said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be extensively touring the state as part of the party's campaign.

Gujarat PCC chief Shankarsinh Vaghela, CWC member Ahmed Patel and Congress Legislative Party leader Amarsinh Chaudhary were also present at the press briefing.

Asserting that 'Gujarat deserve better governance', Vaghela said, "Special courts would be set up to try members of the current BJP government, associated with a long list of scams, including the controversial failure of 15 cooperative banks and the misappropriation of relief supplies and funds."

"Over 20 lakh people were directly affected due to the bank scam, while another 80 lakh were indirectly affected," he said

Launching a direct onslaught on Modi, Choudhury asserted, "The Gujarat BJP has been reduced to factions, fighting over the spoils of government. As a result the people of the state, once the most well-off citizens of India, have to get used to living without electricity, drinking water and the most basic amenities of life."

Vagehla also clarified that he had not invited a US panel on religion to probe the recent communal violence in the state.

"I have simply told some NGOs that I will see their report," he said.

Kamal Nath also said the party was talking to the Nationalist Congress Party, the Left parties and Ram Vilas Paswan-led Jan Lok Shakti to put up an 'united front to humble the BJP'.

Gujarat Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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