Battle for Gujarat: Patel vs Patel
The finacially powerful Patels of Gujarat were politically marginalised for the first time in the 80s when the Congress used the KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim) combination to stay in power. They shifted their vote to the BJP but were again eclipsed when the party chose Narendra Modi over Keshubhai Patel. Although the community has stayed loyal to the BJP, there is widespread resentment over lack of development in their bastion of Saurashtra.
