AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s local body elections have triggered significant internal unrest within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with disputes over ticket distribution sparking protests and dissent across major cities including Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Rajkot.
What began as the routine announcement of candidates has quickly escalated into a broader challenge for the party’s organisational cohesion, exposing discontent among grassroots workers and local leaders.
The unrest first surfaced in Surat, particularly in Ward No. 10 (Adajan-Pal), where hundreds of party workers gathered at the BJP’s local office to protest the candidate list. Demonstrators alleged bias, favoritism, and the systematic sidelining of long-time party workers. The situation intensified to the extent that police were deployed to maintain order.
Similar tensions have since emerged in Ahmedabad, where protests have been reported in several areas, including Chandkheda, India Colony, and Sardarnagar. In other localities such as Gota, Naranpura, Naroda, Sabarmati, and Vastral, dissatisfaction is said to be growing, even if not always expressed publicly. Party sources indicate that some workers are considering withdrawing from campaigning activities, raising concerns about potential electoral fallout.
Back in Surat, protests extended beyond party offices to residential areas such as Adajan, Pal, and Bhatha, where residents voiced objections to candidates perceived as “outsiders.” Many questioned the selection process, arguing that individuals with little visible engagement over the past five years had been given tickets over established local figures.
The situation has also raised concerns in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha region. A meeting reportedly held by a former corporator, who was denied renomination, has circulated widely on social media. Allegedly, discussions at the meeting included the possibility of withholding support from official candidates and indirectly aiding opposition parties—an indication of the depth of internal divisions.
In Naroda, dissatisfaction has taken on a caste dimension. Social media criticism has emerged over the absence of representation from certain communities, including Rajputs, while members of the Brahm Samaj have also expressed displeasure over their exclusion from the candidate list. Calls for electoral boycotts have appeared online, reflecting the expanding scope of the backlash.
Vadodara has witnessed a different form of protest, with anonymous posters appearing in areas such as Gotri and Bhayli, criticising specific candidates. While the source of these posters remains unclear, they point to a more discreet yet pointed form of resistance.
In Rajkot, last-minute changes to candidate lists have further aggravated tensions. The replacement of one candidate shortly before the nomination deadline prompted protests from party workers. State BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma has since met with dissatisfied leaders, assuring them that their concerns would be considered, though the response has done little to immediately calm tensions.
Several leaders, including former corporators, have publicly expressed disappointment over being denied tickets, citing political interference and favoritism in the selection process. In at least one instance, a denied aspirant has chosen to contest independently, underscoring the risk of vote fragmentation.
Underlying these developments are broader allegations that ticket distribution has been influenced by lobbying, caste considerations, and internal alignments, often at the expense of experienced party workers.
As the elections approach, the BJP faces a complex challenge: managing internal dissent while maintaining its electoral position. The unfolding situation suggests that the party’s immediate test may not come from external opposition, but from divisions within its own ranks.