May pose challenge during Jasdan bypolls; some Koli leaders deny accepting Kunvarji as leader
A split among Koli community leaders in the BJP may just prove to be a hurdle in the path of the ruling party right before the bypolls for the Jasdan assembly seat. While in the past, winning bypolls may have been a cakewalk for the ruling party, this political crisis could be a serious challenge for the BJP.
Senior politician and cabinet minister in the Gujarat government, Kunvarji Bavaliya, will be the candidate for the BJP as the bypolls have been necessitated after his defection from the Congress in July this year. The move to the BJP by the stalwart Koli community leader from the Saurashtra region could be considered a good move for the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as the community has the largest share of 45% in the vote bank among OBC communities. However, many BJP leaders also from the Koli community have not taken this step by the party well.
A senior leader from the Koli community in Saurashtra said, on condition of anonymity, "We have not accepted Kunvarji as our leader as he has been imposed on our party by the high command. He is the person who had cursed us during past polls and now we are forced to surrender before him. We will not support him for the polls. He has to win to retain his position in the government." "This is the sentiment of all the leaders and workers of the BJP from Koli community in Saurashtra. If the party had elevated some young leader from our community into a ministry or party organisation, there would have been enthusiasm. This situation though, is not desired," added the leader.
Acknowledging this revolt among the Koli community leaders of the BJP, the party has started pacifying them with OBC leaders from other parts of the state and to attract voters of Patel community leaders. A very senior party leader said, "It was a calculated risk to have Bavaliya in our side. His being in the BJP can benefit in other ways, looking at Lok Sabha polls. It is a challenge for us to make him win the bypolls as many Koli leaders of our party have been feeling indignant. But we are planning to nullify that factor too."
VOICES DISSENT
“Our Patel community leaders including ministers from Saurashtra region have been camping there during weekends to woo voters from their community. They would push Patel community voters to vote for BJP so that deflection in Koli votes can be compensated for,” the BJP leader added.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kunvarji Bavaliya and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}