The overwhelming support extended to the Patel leader from his community has exposed a three-way division in the powerful Patel community.
Unlike 2004 Lok Sabha elections, when both Congress and BJP aggressively used the communal card, and 2007 assembly elections which saw BJP surviving dissident BJP leaders because of the Modi wave, there is no apparent anti-party sentiments during this Lok Sabha elections.
However, Congress candidate for Gandhinagar seat Suresh Patel is cooking up a storm against the BJP. The overwhelming support extended to the Patel leader from his community has exposed a three-way division in the powerful Patel community.
One section is committed to the Congress, the second is currently supporting the BJP and the third comprises BJP dissidents and supporters of Keshubhai Patel. The Congress ticket to Suresh Patel has caused the Congress and Keshubhai Patel loyalists to join hands, ignoring the, once crucial, division between Leuva and Kadva Patels.
Realising the enormity of the problem, the BJP has sprung into action and is trying to woo Patel leaders. The party seems to have managed to convince Jitu Patel and Atul Patel, both former MLAs and strong Patel leaders, and the two leaders were seen with top BJP leaders during the poll campaign in Gandhinagar.
On the other hand, Patel community leaders are going all-out in support of Suresh Patel with more than two dozen conventions and gatherings organised in support of the Congress's candidate against BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani. "Patel community is unhappy with the BJP, so it will naturally work against the party," said a senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity.
"It is evident that Modi's opponents and Keshubhai's loyalists are supporting Suresh Patel. Advani's defeat will be an image issue for Modi," he said.
BJP, however, believes that caste is not a factor. "The voters of Gandhinagar believe in nationalism and not casteism. They will give huge majority to LK Advani," said Kaushik Patel, election in charge of the BJP. He also ruled out anti-Modi sentiments as a factor.
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