If around a dozen ministers lost in the 2002 assembly polls despite a strong Hindutva wave, the same could happen to as many of them in this election.
Strong Cong rivals and internal dissidence may hurt the BJP
AHMEDABAD: If around a dozen ministers lost in the 2002 assembly polls despite a strong Hindutva wave, the same could happen to as many of them in this election. They seem to be facing grim electoral prospects because apart from the anti-incumbency factor working at the local level, many ministers are, for a change, fighting strong rivals from the Congress party.
Those who had won with a slender margin in 2002 may find it increasingly difficult to register another victory from the same constituency.
They include senior ministers Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, I K Jadeja, Kaushik Patel, Saurabh Patel, Anandiben Patel, Dilip Thakor and Mangubhai Patel.
It may be noted here that the ruling party has already dropped two ministers - Harjivan Patel and C D Patel - on the ground that they may not be able to retain their seats in the elections. In 2002, the ministers whose victory margin was less than 5,000 votes include Anandiben Patel (3,582 votes), I K Jadeja (1,505 votes)), Bhupendrasinh Chudasama (722), Mangubhai Patel (3,838 votes) and Kaushik Patel (2,074). This time, they are facing strong candidates from the opposition as well as dissidence within the party.
Political observers believe that Saurabh Patel, Dilip Thakor, Mulubhai Bera, Jashuben Korat, Chhatrsinh Mori, Purushottam Solanki and Speaker Mangubhai Patel are also in a similar situation. In Botad, the Congress has fielded influential leader of the Koli community, C C Pithawala, who is giving sleepless nights to sitting MLA and minister Saurabh Patel. Botad has a good presence of Patel and Koli votes and a slight shift from the BJP can shatters Saurabh dreams, say party sources.
Similarly, Jashuben Korat is going all out to woo the Patidars who appear disillusioned with the ruling party in the state. Fighting her is heavyweight Gordhan Dhamelia, who is also supported by BJP dissidents. In Shahpur, Kaushik Patel appears to be fighting a losing battle as the number of Muslim voters has gone up significantly compared to the 2002 elections. This may affect Patel's prospects significantly.
The Congress has put up a Muslim candidate against him to ensure a heavy turnout of voters from the minority community.
In Jambusar, minister Chhatrsinh Mori is facing a big challenge from the local BJP dissidents. It may be recalled here that many youth wing leaders of the BJP have resigned after Mori was given ticket.
According to a senior party leader, ministers have become desperate because they have in the last five years hardly done anything in their constituencies. "Besides pleasing Narendra Modi, no minister has done anything for the electorate and now the time has come for them to face the music," said former minister Bavku Undhad.
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