Congress faces big challenge from BPT and BJP, as Triangular contest looks on cards
By Abdul hafiz lakhani Bharuch
Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State and a BJP citadel for long, has not had a Muslim Lok Sabha MP since senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel won from Bharuch in the 1984 polls. Muslims form around 10 per cent of the State’s population, and are traditionally seen as Congress supporters.
In the 2009 general elections, Aziz Tankarvi of Congress lost to Mansukh Vasava of BJP by just 28,000 votes. This time in 2019 It is the triangular contest now, the votes of tribal people and Muslims will get split and this may benefit BJP.” Congress, BJP and BPT are in fray.
Congressman Ahmed Patel won from Bharuch defeating Chandubhai Deshmukh in 1984. He lost to Deshmukh in 1989. Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP now, had won from the seat in the 1977 and 1980 general elections as well. A Hindutva surge following BJP patriarch LK Advani’s Rath Yatra from Somnath in the state to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in 1990 has made the state a saffron citadel, leading to Muslim candidates drawing a blank at the Lok Sabha hustings, observers said.
The assembly segments under the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituencies are, Bharuch, Karjan, Dediapada (ST), Jambusar, Vagra, Jhagadia (ST) and Ankleshwar.
Bharuch Lok Sabha Constituency: Key Facts
Total number of voters in 2014: 1,061,060
Votes polled in 2014 elections: 82 per cent
Sitting MP, Party: Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava
Votes polled by winning candidate in 2014: 5,48,902
Percentage of votes polled by winning candidate: 52 per cent
Winning margin in 2014: 1,53,273
Runner up name, party (2014): Jayeshbhai Ambalalbhai Patel (Jayesh Kaka), Indian National Congress
Votes polled by runner-up in 2014: 395,629
Number of polling booths in 2014: 1,725
Number of women voters: 4,95,543
This year mid-March, Gujarat government clamped the Disturbed Areas Act in several areas in Bharuch prohibiting Muslims from selling, leasing or transferring their property to a Hindu and vice versa. voters will also consider this issue in this election ,it is learnt . The Bharuch Lok Sabha seat has the highest concentration of Muslim voters in Gujarat. Currently, of the 15.64 lakh voters in Bharuch, 22.2% are Muslims.In 2014 general elections, BJP had clean swept all the 25 seats of the state with Congress unable to get even one seat. However, it was successful in increasing its seats in 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, limiting the BJP to 99 seats in the 182 member-assembly.
