Seven years ago, two young leaders of caste-based groups had brought Gujarat to a standstill with militant agitations relating to reservation.
The twin agitations — at odds with each other — were credited with giving the Congress in 2017 its highest seat tally since the 1990s, although the BJP still retained power.
Hardik Patel, who spearheaded an agitation demanding OBC status for Patidars, and Alpesh Thakor, who led Thakors and other OBCs in resisting Patidars’ inclusion within the existing quota, joined the Congress in 2017. Today, both are BJP candidates and appear wholly dependent on the party for their electoral success.
The Congress has held Viramgam, in Surendranagar district, for the last two terms. Alpesh’s supporters within the BJP are vocal about their dislike for Hardik, who is contesting from the seat.
“He has used foul language for (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji in the past, and his politics was violent. But, for us, the party is paramount,” vegetable farmer Vikrambhai Thakor of Hasalpur Sereshvar village told The Telegraph.
Mahesh Ambaria, who sells tea near the Gangasar Lake, said: “We have problems. As you can see, the roads are bad and the gutters are choked (a common complaint in Gujarat’s mofussil towns; the BJP holds the municipality).
“The youth are angry that the bulk of jobs in the (nearby) industrial estate go to people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. But Hindutva is more important. I will vote for the BJP even though I don’t like Hardik’s politics.”
Law student Vishnu Mir has made it his mission to get the 11th-century Munsar Lake and the spire-shaped shrines around it cleaned and protected, and hopefully declared a world heritage site someday.
“Everyone is bothered only about their own interests or their caste interests. This is something greater. Although Hardik has mentioned the lake in a speech, politicians in general don’t talk about all this. They are happy to pay Rs 500 per vote to some,” he said.
Many claimed that the incumbent Congress MLA, Lakhabai Bharwad, doesn’t receive much cooperation from the state government or the BJP-run municipality.
“Even those who like the Congress MLA know that nothing can happen with a Congress MLA in a BJP state,” civil services aspirant Rakesh Bharwad said, pointing at the dung and garbage strewn in and around the lake.
Alpesh, who was elected on a Congress ticket from Radhanpur in 2017, joined the BJP in 2019 and lost the by-election. Fielded from Gandhinagar South this time, He faces a strong Congress opponent in local lawyer Himanshu Patel. Unlike Hardik, Alpesh is seen as an outsider.
Alpesh’s advantage is that the seat is a BJP stronghold and lies in Union home minister Amit Shah’s parliamentary seat. Both the Congress and the AAP have fielded Patidars.
Outside the 15th-century Rudabai Stepwell in Adalaj, near Himanshu’s home on the outskirts of the capital, his supporters are holding fort.
“Irrespective of who rules the state, every constituency needs a good person to lead it. Everyone here knows Himanshuji. Had he contested for the BJP, there wouldn’t even have been a contest,” dairy farmer Karnam Desai said.
“The BJP and the AAP don’t understand us farmers. With Modiji in power in the Centre, how are they letting inflation rise like this? Vikas (development) is not only about Gandhinagar (city).” In the urbanised neighbourhood of Kudasan, fruit seller Rambhai is dismissive of the Congress.
“They are wasting their money contesting. Villages are becoming cities. People want a better life,” he said. “Alpesh’s strength is not merely the Thakors; he is the BJP’s nominee, Amit Shah’s nominee. With the roads and amenities that Gandhinagar has, who will not vote for the BJP here?”
