New Delhi: In the first phase of Gujarat assembly elections on Thursday, the ruling BJP is confident of retaining its 27-year rule in the state, while the Congress is desperate to retain its second position while Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP is gambling. Trying to capitalize on issues like ‘anti-incumbency’ and inflation and unemployment to come to power. As BJP seeks to retain power and AAP aims to make inroads in the state, a tough fight is expected in various seats. Some of the major constituencies in these important seats are:
1- Disease : First on the list is Morbi, which recently became the talk of the town after a tragic incident in which a suspension bridge collapsed into the river, claiming over 130 lives. The BJP has fielded Kantilal Amritiya, who replaced sitting MLA and cabinet minister Brijesh Merja, and he is up against Jayantilal Jerjbhai Patel of the Congress and Pankaj Ransaria of the AAP. During the campaign, the opposition parties raised the issue of “mismanagement” in the Morbi incident and tried to corner the government.
Historically, the BJP won the Morbi assembly seat in 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2012, before losing it to Amritiya Merja, who was in the Congress, in 2017. Merja later joined the BJP and again won the bypoll from Morbi. In 2022, BJP has a tie with Amritiya.
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2- Rajkot West (Rajkot): Rajkot West is the seat from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested the 2002 bypoll. Former chief minister Vijay Rupani also contested from this seat in the 2017 assembly elections. The BJP has fielded two-time deputy mayor Darshita Shah, who is up against AAP’s Dinesh Joshi and Congress’s Mansukhbhai.
The seat is considered a BJP bastion which the party has not lost since 1985. Rupani had won the seat in the 2017 assembly elections by defeating Indranil Rajguru of INC by a margin of 53,755 votes.
3- Khambalia (Devbhoomi Dwarka): The seat receives a lot of attention as AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi is contesting from the constituency where he is pitted against Mulu Iyer Bera of the BJP and Vikram Madam of the Congress. The fight is expected to be triangular as there is a close contest between BJP and AAP. The Congress is said to be strong as the party’s candidate Ahir Vikrambhai Arjanbhai Madam had won the seat in 2017. This time Congress has changed its candidate.
4- Devbhoomi Dwarka: BJP candidate Pabubha Manek, who has not lost a single election in the last 32 years, is up against Congress’ Malubhai Kandoria and AAP’s Nakum Lakhmanbhai Boghabhai. Manek won the first three elections as an independent (1990, 95, 98), then joined the Congress and won the seat in 2002. Later, he won the 2007, 2012 and 2017 assembly elections on a BJP ticket. In the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections, Manek had won the seat by defeating Ahir Meraman Markhi of INC by a margin of 5,739 votes.
5- Kutiana (Porbandar): Kandhalbhai Jadeja, son of late don Santokben Sarmanbhai Jadeja, is contesting on a Samajwadi Party ticket. He had won the 2017 assembly elections on an NCP ticket. Kandhalbhai, who quit the party recently after being denied a ticket, is pitted against BJP’s Dheliben Odedra, AAP’s Bhimabhai Makwana and Congress’s Nathabhai Odedra.
6- Jamnagar North (Jamnagar): The seat is witnessing a contest between BJP’s Rivaba Jadeja, wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, and Congress’s Bipendrasinh Jadeja and AAP’s Karsan Karmur. The BJP had removed sitting MLA Dharmendrasinh Merubha, who won the seat by defeating Congress candidate Ahir Jeevanbhai Karubhai Kumbharwadia in the 2017 assembly elections. The seat came into limelight after a political tussle between two members of the same family including Rivaba, who is contesting from the BJP, and her sister-in-law and father-in-law campaigning. For Congress candidate.
7- Katargam (Surat): The seat is set to witness an interesting fight this time with AAP fielding its state president Gopal Italia, who is considered an influential Patidar leader. He played an important role in the Patidar quota movement in 2015. He will be pitted against Prajapati community (OBC) candidate Kaplesh Waria of Congress and BJP candidate Vinodbhai Amrishbhai Moradiya.
(With ANI inputs)