One may believe or not but Modi has made Rahul Gandhi a leader and the Congress vice-president is no longer ridiculed; he is now taken seriously. The oft repeated comment that Rahul cannot become a leader is no longer heard any more. He has developed his own style when he addresses public meetings or election rallies; he is heard with rapt attention. Congressmen also say that Modi will make the Gandhi scion Prime Minister one day. Someone should advise Rahul to shave regularly which is good from hygienic as well as cleanliness point. Rahul is a handsome young man and he should not spoil his personality by not shaving for days.

While Rahul has been vigorously campaigning, a news channel broke all records of fair reporting when, even before the poll dates were announced in Gujarat, declared that the BJP has won hands down. One wonders what was the basis of the poll survey of the news channel that it bypassed all reports from Gujarat that the BJP is shaky and the ground under its feet has been slipping. Who will believe such a survey? Opposition leaders have been alleging that the pre-poll survey has been conducted under pressure of ruling dispensation. How much the channel has been paid, can be any body’s guess, they say.

The Prime Minister’s thunder also shows that the ground under his feet is shifting in Gujarat. Reports from the state say that after over two decades of rule, all factors in the state have been turning against the ruling party. All sections including powerful Patel community, Traders, who were traditional supporters of the BJP, OBCs, Harijans and others appear to have turned against the ruling party.

While demonetization and GST have destabilized the local businessmen, the group the BJP has probably alienated the most is the Patels. After the repression of the movement by Hardik Patel in the name of reservation in August 2015, the Gujarat Government has not found agreement with the most active Patel organization, the Patidar Anamat Samiti and Sardar Patel group.

On the contrary, in the context of what looks like a tug of war, young Patels, in September 2016, prevented Amit Shah from addressing a rally organized by the BJP to honour Patel ministers in the then new government led by Vijay Rupani.

Hardik Patel’s words echo the social media of Gujarat, an arena in which young Patels play a major role. The resentment of Patels results not only from the attitude of the BJP government, but from their comparatively deteriorating socio-economic condition. The loss of Patels would remain a problem for BJP.

Dalits have gone against BJP because of atrocities on them. The recent example was that they were preventing from growing moustaches. Growing moustaches of dalits were pulled out and forcibly shaved. As a protest now young dalits have been now growing moustaches and dare the upper caste leaders to come and remove them.

Most of the traders are Gujaratis and they have been supporters of the BJP from election to election. As a matter of fact they have been pillars of BJP’s strength. They have turned against the BJP because of imposition of GST. They say not only the tax rate has gone up but they have to file returned many times; in some cases three times a week. In addition to this, they have to face harassment by tax authorities.

In the rural areas, farmers have saved lot money to be invested later in buying tractors and other equipments including fertilizers. Some of saved money for their daughters’ marriage. They say because of “notebandi” their hard earned money has become piece of scrapped papers. They have becomes paupers, they say. They are evidently sore against the BJP.

Powerful Patels are of two types; Leuva and Kadua. Among Leuva Patels many are rich but 80 to 85 percent are Kadua and they are poor. Hardik Patel belongs to this section. Former CM Anandiben Patel also hails from this class. They have no representation in the state or central government.

During the Patel agitation, Hardik Patel and some of his associates were charged with “sedition” and they had to live outside the state. The Patels have, therefore, turned against the BJP.

An entire generation of young Gujaratis are first time voters. These young men and women have no idea of what the Congress governments in Gandhinagar looked like or what they did for developing Gujarat into a vibrant industrial state. The only experience these people have is of a BJP regime in Gandhinagar. Whatever satisfaction, gratification, grievances, anger and disappointment they have experienced can only be for or against BJP. (IPA Service)