The BJP has retained the reserved seat for several terms, but the Patel rebellion may change the equation and help Congress.
Idar (Gujarat): The Dalit-dominated Idar assembly constituency, which the BJP has retained for several terms, could throw a surprise this time.
The community is visibly upset with the performance of its BJP MLA and is rooting for a change, and the Patels may come to their rescue.
The BJP’s tallest Dalit leader and assembly speaker Ramanlal Vora has represented this seat since 1995.
Idar, which votes in the second phase on 14 December, is the only constituency of the seven in Sabarkantha district the BJP won in 2012. The rest went to the Congress.
After the Aravalli district was carved out of it in 2013, Sabarkantha has only four seats.
At their basti, referred to as ‘Vankar Vaas’ in Surpur village, Vasabhai Vankar and Muralibhai Vankar said they have always voted for the Congress and would do so this time as well.
“The BJP government has given us nothing except unemployment and inflation, and now demonetisation. Our MLA has never bothered to visit us. We feel if Congress wins, something good will happen,” Vasabhai said.
Virubhai Parmar of Umedpura village explained how this election is different from the previous ones, “Our community has always voted for the Congress. But the others — Patels who have a sizeable population, OBCs and Thakurs would unite to back BJP.”
But Virubhai and others in his community are pinning their hopes on the fact that the Patidars, being angry with the BJP, are also siding with the Congress this time.
Vaibhav Patel, a young member from the Patidar community, is confident that the Congress will win this seat. “This time, our community will also back Congress and BJP won’t win this seat,” said Vaibhav Patel.
This complex caste dynamic is precisely what makes the BJP vulnerable in what was its only foothold in the Sabarkantha district.
Vora, however, has shifted to Dasada (SC) seat while the BJP has fielded Gujarati actor Hitesh Kanodiya from Idar. This, however, seems to have cut no ice with the Dalit community here, which continues to affirm its allegiance to the Congress.
In Umedpura village, for instance, residents of the ‘Parmar basti’ said Vora visited them only once and they expect nothing from the BJP, irrespective of which candidate it has fielded.
“We don’t get drinking water. Nobody has helped us with that. There has been no development for Dalits. If Congress comes to power, it will look after us,” said Rajendra Parmar, a villager.
The feisty Sarda Vankar of Mahiwada village is more dramatic. Putting forth her palm, she said, “Hum panje waale hai (We back the Congress. The BJP has always failed us)”
The story is no different in other villages such as Kawa, Lei and Ranasan, or for that matter, Idar city. “The BJP only raises the issue of Ram mandir, not of our development,” said Babubhai Parmar, a villager.
The SC population, according to the 2011 census, constitutes 16.2 per cent of Idar taluka.
Some voters in Idar remain divided over who will be their new MLA. “The BJP should win. Look at how much development they have done,” said Popatbhai Solanki of Ranasan village. “But obviously they are worried about this seat. Why else would a stalwart like Vora leave his bastion and move elsewhere.”