Hoping for a change

It bore the brunt of the police violence against Patels in August 2015 and decided to root for the Opposition. Power play has no stand here as Bapunagar is looking for a change, and is even convinced if the Congress comes to power.

Residents of the lower middle class suburb of Ahmedabad want relief from both BJP and Congress. They need solutions, and fast. 

Less than a month to elections, they want a change in power.

In the municipal election of December 2015, all wards of Bapunagar, including Rakhial and Saraspur voted in favour of the Congress after they suffered from police violence due to a Patidar rally demanding caste-based reservations.

While the claims of the Opposition and the residents are on the same lines with the primary problems being water and pollution, the sitting BJP MLA Rajput Jagrupsinh Girdansinh says that most issues have been solved. "To curb pollution, we have made an Oxygen park that has 3,500 trees," he said. Jagrupsinh had defeated Shyani Dhirubhai Thakarshibhai of Congress in 2012 with a margin of 2,603 votes.

On the other hand, the opposition and residents have a list of issues to be talked about. One of the residents of India Colony said, "Change is needed. BJP is ruling for 22 years and now should change. We have complained so many times about the water problems but no one responds. Check the list of societies that every water tanker pays a visit to. This shows the actual problem."

BAPUNAGAR NEWLY FORMED CONSTITUENCY IN 2012

Population: Over 2.5 lakh

Voters: 167009

Male: 89535

Female: 77473

Other: 1

CASTE-WISE BREAK-UP OF VOTERS

Muslims: 50,000

SC: 32,000

Hindi speakers: 36,000

Thakor: 10,000

Devipujak: 12,000

Patels: 10,000 (all figures are approx)

VOTER TURNOUT IN PAST THREE ELECTIONS

2012- 67.50%

WHICH PARTY / MLA HAS WON IN THE PREVIOUS THREE ELECTIONS

2012: BJP- Rajput Jagrupsinh Girdansinh (victory margin 2603 ) Congress: Shyani Dhirubhai Thakarshibhai

2007: BJP – Barot Bharatkumar Chimanlal (margin 32%)

Congress: Shaikh Mohammad Faruk Hussainmiya (margin: 18%)

KEY ISSUES:

• Water
   
• Pollution
   
• Colleges
   
• Gambling, liquor

AUTHORITY SPEAKS

1. Rajput Jagrupsinh Gidansinh, MLA, BJP:

Bapunagar residents were facing a lot of issues due to pollution and to curb the same, we made an Oxygen park with 3500 trees.

On an average, nearly 600-700 visitors come to the park. On health front, we have added important facilities like MRI, blood bank, CT scan, etc at Shardaben hospital. To prevent water logging during monsoon, in past five years, we have made stronger network of storm water network and built 4 bore wells and 3 water tanks.

2. Shyani Dhirubhai Thakarshibhai, Congress

I am out of town and I had fought elections in 2012. After that, I have no idea what kind of problems are there. My office gets all sorts of complaints.

LIKELY CANDIDATES IN 2017:

BJP: Prakash Gurjar

Congress: Dinesh Sharma

WHAT VOTERS HAD TO SAY

1. Meenaben Gohil, social worker

Bapunagar is a hub of all kinds of illegal activities like bootlegging, gambling, etc. School students of higher grades are into serious addiction. There is a pan parlour which is a nuisance in our area, that promotes these activities. The most dirty water is released in our area that attracts dangerous insects into our homes. I have been fighting for these issues and will continue for the same. BJP needs to go now.

2. Amit Naik, doctor

In all elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took out roadshows in our area and said that he will make this part like West Ahmedabad. While he became PM from CM but Bapunagar still remains the same. The biggest issue is that sports complex opened by the state government does not have qualified coaches. Young children of our area are struggling to learn. We do not have a government college and the place which was reserved for a government college today has an Oxygen park.

3. Popatbhai Gajera, retired (I have photo of a water tanker as well that visited the society)

Election or no election, biggest problem in my area is water. Women in my area struggle every day due to non availability of water. Despite so many complaints, the issue is never resolved and there is no one to listen to us.

4. Mukesh Patel, sells pani-puri

I used to rub diamonds earlier but left the work many years ago. Since then, I have been selling pani puri. My business got affected during the Patidar andolan, when the roads were shut for few days. I do not have any issue with the government but just that the fee of schools is too much. I have two children and hence it gets difficult to run the house."

5. Nalin Brambhatt, jeweller

To get season passes for buses, there is no facility available at any depot here. Students especially girls have to travel till Lal-darwaja for the same. Another important aspect is that there is no Anganwadi in Bapunagar. Free medicines are not given to the poor in Shardaben hospital.