Secular Schisms

Infighting and nepotism in the Congress seem to have ensured that the party may lose ground in its tribal fortress. "We've given away at least two seats to the BJP and many more will be lost because of our own follies," says a Congress leader. Two sitting Congress mlas, Ishwar Vahia and Pratap Gamit, are now contesting as independents and have the support of Jinabhai Darji, the grand old man of south Gujarat politics. "All our attempts to convince him otherwise have failed," says a Congress loyalist.

Darji decided to back Vania and Gamit because both of them were unfairly denied tickets due to pressure from Amarsinh Chaudhary. Both rebels would have won. The tickets were denied to accommodate Chaudhary's son Tushar (from Vyara) and another candidate of his choice. The BJP, it is clear, will win hands down in south Gujarat, despite the Congress having adequate issues to pin down its rival. "As usual, we will sweep south Gujarat. The cities are ours and now, thanks to the Congress, even what was left of the villages will become the BJP's pocket boroughs," says Union textiles minister and south Gujarat heavyweight Kashiram Rana.

In the urban centres of south Gujarat, the Sangh parivar has gradually built a strong network, while the Congress presence seems marginal. Though nobody is willing to put a realistic figure to the outcome, it might be easy going for the BJP in this region.