AHMEDABAD: In a surprising turn of events, BJP heavyweight Lalu Patel was defeated by independent candidate Umesh Patel in the Daman and Diu Lok Sabha seat. Umesh Patel, who won by a margin of 6,225 votes, gained popularity among voters through his public criticism of Praful Patel, the administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, during the campaign. His victory signals a shift in the region's political landscape, challenging the longstanding dominance of major parties.
The victory of independent candidate Umesh Patel is significant, given Daman and Diu's proximity to Gujarat. Daman is near Valsad and Navsari, while Diu is close to Bhavnagar and Amreli, making the political shift in Daman & Diu particularly impactful for the neighboring regions in Gujarat.
According to sources, there was significant resentment among BJP leaders regarding the selection of candidates. Additionally, some leaders were dissatisfied with the behavior of Union Territory Administrator Praful Patel, and it is reported that their complaints reached the high command. Despite these issues, the BJP chose to repeat the candidate, resulting in their loss. This sentiment is echoed by locals.
However, despite intense competition, and many candidates with similar names, independent candidate Umesh Patel managed to secure a substantial lead.
The loss of the Diu and Daman seat will also impact senior BJP leader and Surat (West) MLA Purnesh Modi, who was in charge of the two Lok Sabha seats in the Union territory. Purnesh Modi is the same leader who filed a case against Rahul Gandhi over his remark on the Modi surname.
Since 1987, there have been ten Lok Sabha elections in Daman and Diu. The first election was won by the Congress. In the 1989 elections, an independent candidate emerged victorious. The BJP then secured wins in the 1991, 1996 and 1998 elections. However, the Congress reclaimed the seat in 1999 and won again in 2004. The BJP has dominated the constituency since then, winning in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 elections.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Lalubhai Babubhai Patel retained his seat with 37,597 votes. Congress candidate Ketan Dahyabhai Patel came in second with 27,655 votes, while independent candidate Umesh B Patel secured 19,938 votes.
Meanwhile, BJP candidate Kalaben Delkar, the widow of former MP Mohan Delkar, won the Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DNH) seat with an impressive margin. Her victory adds another layer of complexity to the unfolding political narrative.
