Muslim votes, Hindutva to be crucial factors

'Hindutva' & Muslim votes would be crucial in Godhra, the scene of gruesome train carnage two years ago.

'Hindutva' factor and Muslim votes would be crucial in Godhra Parliamentary Constituency, the scene of gruesome train carnage two years ago, even as both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress are claiming to emerge as sure winners in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

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This is the only constituency in Gujarat that is going to have a direct BJP-Congress contest as there are no independent or candidates from any other party for 2004 Lok Sabha polls.

Aided by the `Hindutva wave', the saffron party had stamped its presence in the 2002 assembly polls winning by huge margins from all seven assembly seats just after the post-Godhra communal riots.

The crucial Muslim votes, the economic ripples caused by the debacle of the Panchmahals Cooperative Bank, affecting lakhs of depositors in neighbouring Dahod district also, and the recent liquor haul from the premises of a state Minister's son, are some of the issues to be raised by the opposition and which would be the deciding factors that would have effect on voters on April 20.

However, the political battle is closely pitched between the Congress candidate, an ex-MLA and an OBC leader Rajendrasinh Patel contesting against Bhupendrasinh Solanki, a sitting BJP MP and chairman of the Panchmahals Dairy.

"Of course, the bank crisis will affect the BJP. An ex-chairman has already been featured among the accused and the losses to lakhs of depositors in Panchmahals and Dahod will take its toll on BJP's vote bank which will be our gain," says the confident Congress candidate.

Patel, who claims to have toured almost all the 1,000 odd villages in the constituency, said there is "no feel-good factor anywhere as people have lost their hard earned savings in the bank debacle and now they cannot withdraw more than Rs 1,000 a month as per Reserve Bank of India regulations."

Moreover, Congress, which plans "to expose the BJP", is geared to raise during campaigning the recent controversy after a BJP Minister's son was named in a major prohibition racket busted two days ago.

"Law and order is another crucial issue. Many Muslim youth were targeted by police after the train carnage and there is a wave of protest among the locals following these illegal arrests. Muslims have always been with the Congress and they will continue to do so," Patel alleges.

The BJP candidate, though confident of a thumping win, however, is not as confident about Muslim support as Patel.

Solanki told PTI: "We are a bit uncertain in this area (Muslim vote) as of now but are sure to strike a chord with them as they also want a development oriented government. I have travelled to all the villages and even interior Muslim pockets and there has been no resistance."

Admitting that the debacle of Panchmahals District Cooperative Bank did shake the trust of the depositors, he said: "Let us not forget that the Congress candidate himself was a former director of the bank and is also accountable for the scam."

Saying that he has done much development work portraying 'Godhra Uday', Solanki added "law and order is not a crucial issue as the region has witnessed lesser crimes than most other places and there has been hardly any communal incident after the last riots."