A file photo of Narendra Modi
Rajkot:
Leuva Patels, a backbone of BJP's uninterrupted 18 years rule in Gujarat, are giving sleepless nights to the ruling party on which way they will go in assembly elections in Saurashtra this time after their caste's most influential leader Keshubhai Patel launched his political outfit.
Numerically-strong Patel community, having around 18 percent population in the state, has rallied behind BJP in the last two decades, giving the party the edge over its opponents. However, this time they are divided on the lines of their sub-castes --Leuva and Kadvas.
The Leuva sub-caste, which 83-year-old Keshubhai Patel represents, has in the run up to the elections at regular intervals organised huge caste meetings to assert their voice as they allege they have been marginalised in last 10 years of Narendra Modi rule.
"The question is to which political party this powerful sub-caste will lend its support? Will they stay with BJP or will they go to GPP?", said political scientist Dinesh Shukla.
Out of 182 seats in the state assembly, Saurashtra region consists of 54 seats spread across seven districts of Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Surendranagar and Rajkot. So, it is always said that whichever party dominates in Saurashtra rules the state, he added.
In the past two assembly elections, BJP under Mr Modi has made Saurashtra a bastion for the party. BJP had won 39 seats in 2002 and in 2007 despite a sulking Mr Keshubhai staying away from the campaign, the party had won an overwhelming 43 seats here.
Numerically-strong Patel community, having around 18 percent population in the state, has rallied behind BJP in the last two decades, giving the party the edge over its opponents. However, this time they are divided on the lines of their sub-castes --Leuva and Kadvas.
The Leuva sub-caste, which 83-year-old Keshubhai Patel represents, has in the run up to the elections at regular intervals organised huge caste meetings to assert their voice as they allege they have been marginalised in last 10 years of Narendra Modi rule.
"The question is to which political party this powerful sub-caste will lend its support? Will they stay with BJP or will they go to GPP?", said political scientist Dinesh Shukla.
Out of 182 seats in the state assembly, Saurashtra region consists of 54 seats spread across seven districts of Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Surendranagar and Rajkot. So, it is always said that whichever party dominates in Saurashtra rules the state, he added.
In the past two assembly elections, BJP under Mr Modi has made Saurashtra a bastion for the party. BJP had won 39 seats in 2002 and in 2007 despite a sulking Mr Keshubhai staying away from the campaign, the party had won an overwhelming 43 seats here.
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