Gujarat Confidential: ‘12,000 Rajiv Gandhis’, Vaghela’s 2027 push and Congress strategy

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar used his first public address in Gujarat to remark that his electoral database contains no fewer than 12,000 entries for people named Rajiv Gandhi, a comment made while fielding questions on the pending Special Intensive Revision (SIR) complaints ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls. The event was hosted by Rajiv Gandhi, the managing director of Hester Biosciences and president of the Ahmedabad Management Association, and also featured senior political figures such as Congress AICC general secretary in‑charge for Gujarat Randeep Surjewala, who is slated to visit the state on September 12, and BJP’s new Gujarat in‑charge Tarun Chugh.

The report cites concrete figures: the CEC cited “not less than 12,000” Rajiv Gandhis in his database; Surjewala’s September 12 trip will coincide with Chugh’s ongoing Gujarat tour. In Surat, the municipal corporation’s health committee, led by Ashok Randeriya, said that in the first week of its plastic‑for‑Ganesha‑idol scheme, 1,200 kg of plastic waste were collected across nine zones and 750 mud idols of Lord Ganesha were handed out, with an additional order of 500 idols pending delivery.

The CEC’s statement comes amid growing pressure to resolve SIR grievances before the forthcoming national elections, while Congress insiders acknowledge deep internal rifts and have therefore adopted a centrally‑coordinated blueprint for the 2027 state assembly contest. The Surat initiative reflects a broader environmental push by local authorities to curb single‑use plastic, aiming to instill sustainable habits among citizens through tangible incentives.