Gujarat poll not easy, but BJP has still upper hand

The election campaigns for the first phase by both the political contenders- ruling BJP and the opposition Congress- are in full swing. BJP has been ruling the state for 22 years. Mr.Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to May 26, 2014. He was sworn- in as Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, as his party, BJP won Lok Sabha elections with a massive mandate. When Modi was the Chief Minister of the state, his Gujarat model of development earned all-round applause and it made a great contribution to attracting people in 2014 Lok Sabha elections towards him and his party. Gujarat has also been considered as Hindutva laboratory. It has been a developed state. BJP has been very strong in the state for a long time. The Patidar community constitutes 16 percent of Gujarat population. Patels in the state are economically, intellectually and politically far ahead of all other communities in the state. They became supporters of the BJP after the formation of KHAM formula by the former Congress Chief Minister Madhav Singh Solanki. On the basis of the total support of Partidar community, BJP won the elections after elections very easily. But in this assembly election, Partidars under the leadership of young, vocal and liberal Hardik Patel appear to be opposed to BJP. They have been agitating for reservation in a government job and educational institutions. As according to the Supreme Court, the reservation limit of 50 percent cannot be crossed, the Gujarat govt. turned down their demand. They formed Patidar Anamat Association Samiti(PAAS) under the leadership of Hardik Patel. They organized a massive rally in support of PAAS. The police had to resort to firing to control the mob of Patels at that time. In the police firing, around 10 young Patel boys were reportedly killed. This unfortunate incident of police firing antagonized the Patidar community very much. Hardik Patel came closer to Congress against the BJP in this assembly election. Now, it is to be seen how Patel voters vote in this assembly election. Apart from Hardik,two more young leaders Alpesh Thakor and Ginesh Mevani of backward and SC/ST communities respectively have shaken their hands with Congress. Alpesh has already joined Congress party. So, the stack against the BJP this time to win the elections is not light, but heavy enough to be pushed out. Realizing the mind of the people in the state of Gujarat that this time they are not going to vote his party in a natural way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself started playing emotional and Hindu Muslim cards in favour of his party. In his election meeting, he talks of Pakistan, Hafiz Sayeed and Chaiwala taint himself to win people’s favour. By playing the emotional card of being the son of Gujarat and has been a victim of being Chaiwala before coming into politics, he tries to draw the people towards his party. By talking of Hafiz Sayeed and Pakistan, he tries to polarize majority community of Hindus in his party’s favour. Now, he never talks of Gujarat model of development in his election meeting. Apart from Patels’ discontents, anti-incumbency factor, the negative impact of PM two pet economic steps -Demonetization and GST - on the business community have made them disillusioned with the BJP govt., though they have been its traditional voters. But despite all these hurdles for BJP to win Gujarat elections, PM Modi is still the trump card for the party. And BJP still has the upper hand in Gujarat.Gujarat elections are scheduled in two phases, on December 9 and December 14, and the state will have its verdict on 18th December.