Gujarat Elections 2017 | OBCs support Congress, but shun BJP caste card

The BJP always gave priority to the OBC vote-bank that constitutes 45 to 50 per cent of the total vote-bank in the state, but the party could not wrest more seats from the Congress in OBC dominates seats. 

There are a total of 71 seats in Gujarat in which OBC voters have a say, and the BJP managed to win only 30 of these seats while 41 went in favour of Congress. The BJP faced major losses in regions like North and Central Gujarat and the Saurashtra region. Party’s performance in South Gujarat and urban areas remained good; maximum number of seats were won from these region. 

Many of BJP’s big faces from the OBC community, like Shankar Chaudhary, Keshaji Chauhan, Ramsinh Rathwa, Hira Solanki, Jasha Barad, Govind Parmar, Mansinh Chauhan, emerged as big losers.

Whereas Arjun Modhwadia, Meraman Goria, Dr Nitaben Rathod, Pravin Rathod, Gautam Chauhan, Udesinh Baria, Ashok Jirawala and other lost on Congress tickets.

The BJP has been giving special attention to the OBC community ever since PM Narendra Modi came to power in the state as chief minister. He initiated several schemes for OBCs, especially for the fishing community in the Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions.