Gujarat Polls: "People believe in us, we serve them by heart," BJP Morbi candidate says bridge collapse won't dent party image

By Suchitra Mukherjee
Morbi (Gujarat) [India], November 19 (ANI): BJP candidate from Morbi constituency, Kantilal Amrutiya, who jumped into the Machchhu river to rescue people following the collapse of a suspension bridge, recalled his early days working with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a RSS worker and expressed confidence in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning all five seats in the Patidar dominated constituency.
Speaking exclusively with ANI, Amrutiya described the Morbi bridge tragedy as very "painful" as stated that the matter is currently in court.
"The incident is very painful, fortunately, our machinery worked promptly and the relief forces were sent on time. Our Prime Minister and Chief Minister have formed a committee, the matter is in court, and the decision will come," he added.
On being asked whether there was any resentment among the public regarding the incident, he said "There are five seats in Morbi and we will win all five of them because there is regard in the hearts of the people. The public knows that the government is not responsible for the incident."
"I am confident because we work full-time for the development of people, and can even lay down our lives for the people. I myself work for the people, not just in one seat, but in the whole district," he added.
Amrutiya also went back in time to the year 1979 when a dam on the Machchhu river collapsed killing thousands of people. The BJP candidate recalled how he and PM Narendra Modi worked together as RSS workers to assist the local people.
"In 1979, around 4000 people died after the dam on the Machhu river collapsed. At that time, Narendra Bhai and me were both RSS workers and we worked together for two months. We worked with around 500 people in retrieving people's bodies and helping people. At that time, I was 17 years old. Neither did I know that I will become a leader and nor did Narendra Bhai know that he will become the PM. But, he had a great brain and he was the one who did the whole planning for the relief work," the BJP candidate Amrutiya said.
On being asked whether his nomination by the party was a reward for his rescue efforts following the Morbi tragedy, Arutiya said that he has been rewarded by the people.
"I have throughout been working for the people and the party. I kept on working, even when I lost. The people here love me and refer to me as 'Kanha Bhai' So, it is the public that has rewarded me," he said.
Amrutiya also dismissed the possibility of a triangular contest in Gujarat and about Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) posing a challenge to the BJP.
"We are winning all five seats in Morbi, but once our prime minister Narendra Modi will arrives for campaigning, we will win 151 seats. There is no impact of Congress or AAP in the entire district," he said.
Earlier on November 10, BJP fielded Kantilal Amrutiya from the Morbi constituency, as it released its first list of 160 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election.
Amrutiya had won from the Morbi Assembly seat in 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2012.
The current MLA of Morbi, Brijesh Merja, a cabinet minister in Gujarat was dropped.
At least 135 people were killed after a British-era cable bridge collapsed on the Machchhu river in Morbi on October 30. The mishap had also triggered a political storm with the Opposition parties targeting the ruling BJP over the tragic incident.
BJP is in power in the state for the last 27 years and is considered as BJP bastion.
While Congress is seeking to oust the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also making efforts to put up a strong performance in the polls.
The elections will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will occur on December 8, which coincides with Himachal Pradesh's result date. (ANI)