A large number of Gujarati NRIs have landed in their native state to lend support to political parties they are backing in the upcoming assembly election, due on December 11 and 16.
Many are supporters of incumbent Narendra Modi, who feel the state has developed under the stewardship of the BJP leader. Opposing them is a considerable number of supporters, who say Modi has divided the state.
Although they cannot vote in the state assembly polls, the NRIs who have come from places like the UK and US are pumping in huge amounts of money in campaigning, besides trying to woo voters for the party of their choice.
"Though I can't vote, still I would like to see to it that the right people are voted to power. Even if I can't vote I would like to make sure that other 100 people at least go and vote. It's very important," says 42-year-old Rajen Patel from London, an ardent supporter of Modi.
Patel, who claims he campaigned for former US vice president Al Gore when he was in the presidential race, says about 100 like-minded NRIs in the UK have decided to come to Gujarat to support Modi as they believe he is ushering in growth and development.
{{/usCountry}}Patel, who claims he campaigned for former US vice president Al Gore when he was in the presidential race, says about 100 like-minded NRIs in the UK have decided to come to Gujarat to support Modi as they believe he is ushering in growth and development.
{{/usCountry}}"We would like to invest in Gujarat as things have improved a lot here. There is less of corruption now and action is taken on complaints made even over phones," he says.
Rejecting the claims of development under Modi's government are Congress supporters, who have also come together, based on their political affiliation.
"What development are they talking about? Everything is hogwash. No state can develop where people are divided. And that's what BJP has done here," says Deepak Amin, who has come all the way from Seattle (US) to support Congress.