"I can sense pulse of people": Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confident of BJP-led NDA's victory

PORBANDAR: Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said that he can sense the pulse of people and expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of winning more than 400 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

"I have been campaigning for the past 1 month and going among the people...I can sense the pulse of people, based on that I can say that the BJP will win all 26 seats in Gujarat. Across the country, BJP will win more than 370 seats and with more than 400 seats for the NDA, PM Modi's government will be formed once again," Mandaviya said while talking to ANI, after meeting the Maldharis, a pastoral community of nomadic herdsmen in Gujarat, who raise cattle and depend on the forest for their livelihood.

Mandaviya's visit to Saatvirda Nes was focused on engaging with the Maldhari, or shepherd community, and listening to their concerns. The Union Minister shared that he had meaningful conversations with the villagers and asked them about their well-being.Mandaviya's visit to Saatvirda Nes was focused on engaging with the Maldhari, or shepherd community, and listening to their concerns. The Union Minister shared that he had meaningful conversations with the villagers and asked them about their well-being.

According to Mandaviya, the community expressed gratitude for the free food and medical treatment they had received, attributing it to the Modi government's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The villagers affirmed their support for Prime Minister Modi, saying, "Modi ji gave us free food, he provided us all safety during COVID, so we will vote for him this time."

BJP candidate from Porbandar Lok Sabha constituency, Mandaviya met members of the shepherd community who are living in forests, today. He also had meals with them.

He visited the village and sat down to eat with them and participated in their daily activities. He emphasized that the campaign doesn't focus solely on large voter pockets but also on reaching the "last person" to understand their issues and explore how the government could help.

"I came for an election campaign in Barda Dungar (Saatvirda Nes village) where the Maldhari people, the shepherds, live. They live in the forest, and this is a reserve forest. I had conversations with the Maldhari and the shepherds here. I asked them if they were getting free food. They said, 'Yes, we are getting free medical treatment too.' I felt the changes in their lives. I also asked them who they would vote for this time. They said, 'Modi ji gave us free food, he provided us all safety during COVID, so we will vote for him this time," Mandaviya said.

The Maldhari community has made significant contributions to the conservation and protection of wildlife. The Maldharis have lived in the Gir National Park, in the Banni Grasslands Reserve area, for the past thousand years. They have co-existed with the lions which the Gir National Park was created to preserve, for these thousand years.

Maldhari community breeds Banni Buffaloes, a species endemic to the region. The buffaloes are adaptive to Kutch's hot weather conditions.

"This is the last booth in the forest, but that doesn't mean we only campaign where there's a larger voter pocket. It's not like that; we want to go to the last person, into the depths of the forest, and understand their issues and how we can help. That's why I'm here in the Barda Reserve Forest," he added.

When asked about his priorities if re-elected, Mandaviya said, ''The Modi government is coming, and I'm also going to win. The kind of love I'm receiving gives me full assurance. My top priority will be ensuring that the people living in the forest don't face any issues. With everyone's agreement, we can bring them out of the forest so they can give their children a good education and live better lives. I will talk about creating arrangements for this," he assured.

Responding to criticism from the opposition, particularly the Congress party, regarding the BJP's 400-seat claim, Mandaviya dismissed their scepticism, noting that "Congress will say that. These people are discouraged, and I have no comments about them."

Notably, All 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat will go to the polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 7.

The third phase will include constituencies from Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad East, Ahmedabad West, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Chhota Udaipur, Bharuch, Bardoli, Navsari, and Valsad.