Porbandar:
For the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi the message of non-violence and peace held a supreme place. But in his home town, Porbandar, these seems to be no regard for his legacy. In this coastal town, the BJP and the Congress-backed NCP have given tickets to history sheeters.
The Congress which takes pride in Mahatma Gandhi's legacy has entered into a pre-poll alliance with the National Congress Party, supporting its candidate Kandal Jadeja. Kandal is the son of Santokben Jadeja who once ran a rein of terror in the region. Even Kandhal has at least nine criminal cases pending against him including that of murder.
The BJP isn't lagging far behind. The party's candidate from Porbandar is Patel strongman, Vithal Radadiya. A former Congress leader, Radadiya in 2012 became infamous as a gun-totting MP when he was caught on tape threatening a toll booth operator near Vadodara. He also has around ten criminal cases pending against him. The toll booth case was however withdrawn after he crossed over to the BJP.
Both these candidates are now accusing each other of being tainted.
"Vithalbhai is accusing me of having criminal past...but he should first look at himself...the cases against me were politically motivated. In number of such cases...I have been cleared by the court...and in our country till you are not convicted you cannot be called a criminal candidate...Vithalbhai has more cases then me,'' says Kandhal.
The BJP candidate says, "I have been elected three times from here. I don't believe in violence and I do believe that I will win because of my track record."
Residents on the other hand are unhappy with their choice of candidates and complain that their issues are being ignored. Their city is crying for attention for its marine life and beaches. "You can see that whitish fluid floating, it is caustic soda...because of this the marine life is getting endangered. Even people who venture into the sea are affected by skin diseases, but nobody bothers about it,'' says Pratik Bhatt, a resident.
"I do believe that only those who value their cultural and traditional past...will be able to do some good to the country...not the ones with criminal record," says Narottam Palan, another resident.
In fact, both Congress and BJP have fielded nine candidates each with criminal cases pending against them in Gujarat.