New Delhi: As the nation braces itself up to welcome the next-in-power party in Gujarat, it is crucial to note the power dynamics held by certain constituencies and areas in the state. With Central Gujarat being the key player for several reasons, all the parties have used their full might to form a firm hold here during the election campaign.
A total of 61 seats in Central Gujarat hold the potential to set the political tone in the state for the next 5 years. The rural voters in central Gujarat have heavily influenced the Assembly Election results in the past with all the more potential to do the same this year as well. The voters belonging to tribal communities, OBC, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes -- who mostly populate the areas in central Gujarat -- are seen as trendsetters.
The 61 seats that fall in the central Gujarat region include urban areas with diverse populations, such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Anand, as well as districts that have a considerably large tribal population. With 21 seats in Ahmedabad, Central Gujarat includes 10 seats in Vadodara, 6 in Dahod, 7 in Anand, 6 in Kheda, 3 in Mahisagar, 5 in Panchmahal and 3 in Chhota Udepur. Of these, BJP currently has 38 seats and Congress has 22 seats, while 1 seat is occupied by an independent candidate.
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Another important factor in play is the caste dynamic here. All the major 8 districts in Gujarat have a high majority of OBC population in the state, which has the potential of heavily affecting over 28 seats in the state. Meanwhile, the population that falls under the Scheduled Caste shall also majorly affect over 15 seats in the central Gujarat area of the state.
Considering all these aspects, the BJP may not lose much in terms of caste-based arithmetic in central Gujarat. Because of the domination of the OBC population here, the BJP has shown confidence in winning these seats. Political experts also believe the BJP would not face many difficulties in seats like Chhota Udepur, Pavi Jetpur, Panchmahal, Dahod and Limkheda.
Leaders from various political parties, well aware of the power that central Gujarat holds, campaigned in the relevant parts with all their might. Public meetings and street demonstrations along with village-to-village propaganda were common sites in the tribal parts of the state during the election campaigns.
