Ahmedabad:
The Bharuch Municipal Corporation elections have taken a sharp turn after controversial remarks by local Congress leader Ishaq Sheikh, triggering a political clash with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and shifting the focus from civic issues to identity politics.
Speaking at a public rally in Ward No. 8, Sheikh linked minority voting patterns to recent “bulldozer actions”, framing the election as a moment of political consolidation for the community.
“If the 80 lakh Muslims of Gujarat unite and vote together, no bulldozer will ever run over your home,” he said.
During his speech, Sheikh also targeted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), accusing the party of dividing minority votes and indirectly benefiting the ruling establishment.
The BJP condemned the remarks, calling them an attempt to provoke fear along communal lines. Marutisinh Atodariya, a state executive member of the party, said administrative action was based on law, not identity.
“A bulldozer does not look at a person’s religion or society before moving,” he said. “It is a legal instrument used strictly against the properties of anti-social elements and those acting against the laws of our land.”
With polling approaching, the exchange has intensified the political atmosphere in Ward No. 8 and nearby areas. While Congress supporters describe the remarks as a call for political unity, BJP leaders have cited them as evidence of what they term “appeasement politics.”