With Gujarat elections entering the last phase of voting, a win at Godhra, the epicentre of the 2002 riots, has become a prestige issue for both BJP and Congress.
GODHRA: With Gujarat elections entering the last phase of voting, a win at Godhra, the epicentre of the 2002 riots, has become a prestige issue for both BJP and Congress.
"Everyone following the elections are focusing on Godhra. Winning this seat is not just a matter of numbers but also pride. We just cannot afford to lose this seat," pointed out a senior BJP leader.
For the Congress too, Godhra is an important seat as a win here will be nothing but an electoral coup.
"The BJP won the seat last time because of the strong Hindutva wave. Godhra became the rallying point for the party then but any setback for it now will surely act as a vindication of good over evil," said Ajitsinh S Bhati, general secretary of Panchmahal District Congress Committee.
In order to ensure a win, the BJP has dropped sitting MLA Haresh Bhatt and has given the ticket to current Kalol MLA Prabhatsinh Chauhan, who is said to have a decent influence among the Muslims.
Godhra constituency has a large population of Muslim voters.
The Congress has fielded CK Raulji. Interestingly, both the candidates had contested against each other in 1992 but from opposite camps.
Raulji had contested on a BJP ticket and defeated Chauhan. He has represented the constituency three times, first as a Janata Dal member in 1990 and then as a BJP member in 1992 and 1995.
While both Congress and BJP are trying their best to woo both Hindu and Muslim votes, for Godhra voters, development is as important as the 2002 riots.
"What has happened has happened. But we would only vote for the party who promises development. Not a single road has been constructed here in the past five years," said Rahimbhai, who lives in what is called as the Muslim area of Godhra.
"It is not just the development here but also the closure of the Panchmahals Cooperative Bank under the BJP rule which has affected us," said Prasant Sinh, a trader.
The biggest setback according to Godhra voters, which many say was more severe than the riots, was the closure of the bank in 2003. It had 48 branches all over the district and was a main source of loans for farmers. This was followed by the shutting down of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee. The city also saw a migration of white-collar jobs to cities like Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Shehra.
"Development is our poll plank. The residents have understood how the riots have harmed them economically. On top of it, there has not been any development. Hence, there is a seething anger among people," Raulji said.
Sources within the BJP agree that development is an issue and hence they have replaced their sitting MLA.
"Development is indeed an issue but only for few. Though the constituency has seen large-scale development, in some areas it might have slowed down," said a BJP worker.
Sources pointed out the strategy for the BJP is to get the maximum number of Hindus to vote.
"We are focusing on making more than 80 per cent of the Hindus to vote. There are few wards here from where all the votes would definitely go to BJP. Moreover, Prabhatsinh Chauhan is also liked by many Muslims for the work that he has done in Kalol. Together, the plank of Hindutva and development will work in our favour," said a senior BJP leader.
){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}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}