RAJKOT: The 2017 assembly polls reflected BJP’s worst performance in Saurashtra, a region considered one of the most active zones of Gujarat, dominated primarily by Patidars. This time, the party is totally focused on Saurashtra and eyes a better score. It had won only 18 of the total 48 seats in the region in the previous assembly polls. The Congress bagged 30 seats.
The BJP is making all possible moves to ensure votes are translated into seats amid the perceived popularity of AAP in the region. AAP which is fighting the assembly polls in a big way for the first time in Gujarat has also fielded its chief ministerial candidate, Ishudan Gadvi, an anchor of a popular regional TV show Mahamanthan, from Khambaliya, near Dwarka, in the region.
The BJP has fielded fresh faces in a clear message that the party does not want nonperformers. It has kept paradropping the known faces and star campaigners well in advance to ensure a strong recall factor for the first phase on December 1.
The political landscape of Saurashtra is known for its mixed demography comprising Patidars, Kshatriyas and different castes grouped under the OBCs such as Vagher Koli, and Mer each having its own importance in terms of issues primarily related to trade and farming.
The BJP has carefully handled the most contentious issue of Patidar agitation that ruined its prospects in the region in 2017. Though reservation for Patidar is not a resonant issue, inflation and the rising debt of farmers continue to be in focus in the agrarian pockets of Saurashtra.
The BJP has fielded first-timers such Rivaba Solanki, wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, among others. The party has even dropped four of the six sitting MLAs in the Rajkot segment to overcome anti-incumbency in a bid to connect with the masses. Ex-Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani who was a legislator from the Rajkot West assembly constituency in the previous election was dropped. The Congress is focusing on BJP’s mismanagement while AAP is reaching out with post-election incentives to voters – similar to the ones assured in other states by the party.
