After Godhra Riots in 2002 BJP sweeps tribal belt in Gujarat

Surat (Gujarat) : For the first time in the last two decade, BJP has made a significant in-roads in the Congress stronghold in the tribal belt in eastern Gujarat by winning 24 assembly seats out of the total 27 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Gujarat Elections 2022.

Except for the Vansda (ST), Dediapada and Khedbhrama seats—two seats went to Congress and one to AAP—the BJP won 24 seats in the tribal belt of the eastern Gujarat also known as the Purvapatti.

In the tribal belt of south Gujarat stretching from Narmada to Umbergaon, BJP won 10 assembly seats in Surat, Bharuch, Narmada, Tapi, Dangs, and Navsari districts out of the total 12 ST seats in the region. Here, the Congress was successful in retaining Vansda (ST) seat, while the AAP won Dediapada seat in Narmada district.

A key to victory in this election was the tribal belt in eastern Gujarat, which accounts for 8.1 percent of the ST population of India. As per the 2011 census, the tribal population in Gujarat was 89.17 lakh, around 15 percent of its total population, and was largely spread across 14 eastern districts of the State and concentrated in 48 talukas.

Since 2002, BJP is trying to leave a mark in the Congress-dominated region of eastern Gujarat. In 2017 elections, the Congress won 15 of the 27 ST-reserved seats in Gujarat, BJP got eight, the Bharatiya Tribal Party of Chhotu Vasava bagged two seats and an independent candidate got one.

In the 2022 Gujarat elections, BJP counted upon the ‘Modi Magic’ and its ‘Gaurav Yatra’ organized in the tribal belt to appease the adivasi voters.

However, this time around the Congress had to taste defeat in the tribal belt because of the AAP candidates. In majority of the seats, the AAP candidates were responsible in cutting Congress votes, which benefited the BJP at large. In many assembly constituencies in the tribal belt, there was a direct contest between BJP and the AAP.

Political expert Ghanshyam Shah said, “The one big reason for Congress’ loss is that more parties were in fray, especially the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that impacted the Congress’ vote and benefited the BJP. In many tribal seats, the AAP candidates has snatched away the votes of the Congress and benefited the BJP. Also, in the past few years, prominent local tribal Congress leaders have joined the BJP”

In the late 1990s, the tribal belt became a Hindutva testing ground thanks to a group of radical sadhus led by the infamous Aseemanand. Up until he was being chased by the CBI with the Samjhauta Express terrorist bombings, Aseemanad was known to have fostered hostility along religious lines.

Without a question, for a politician like Narendra Modi who has his sights set on a wider national position, Dang conjures up a burdensome political past. With this election, he has been making a concerted effort to wipe that image from voters’ minds.

Christian tribals’ animosity toward the BJP has been significantly dampened since the 2007 elections. Cooperatives and dairy schemes, both projects of the state government, are considered particularly appealing by the tribals because of the direct economic benefits they bring to the tribes’ members. Since tribals make up the second-largest vote block in Gujarat after Odisha, the shift in sentiments toward BJP is an indicator of the forthcoming politics.

In the Gujarat elections 2022, voter turnout in tribal-dominated seats in south Gujarat remained between 65 and 74%. However, voters in the key constituencies of Vyara, Nizar, Dangs, Dediapada, and Jhagadia have rejected the Congress and the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP). Issues such as the Par-Tapi-Narmada river linking projects, unemployment, tribals losing their valuable land parcels in the Statue of Unity (SoU) project, and so on, have not harmed the BJP.

In Congress stronghold of Vyara assembly constituency, Congress’ sitting MLA Punaji Gamit, who is contesting for the fourth consecutive term lost to BJP’s Mohan Konkani. For the first time, BJP fielded the Christian candidate in Mohan Konkani against Gamit who is also the protestant converted Christian. Till the 10^th round, Konkani was leading with more than 11,000 votes. In 2017, Punaji Gamit won with the victory margin of 24,414 votes.

For the first time in Nizar assembly constituency in Tapi district, the sitting Congress MLA Sunil Gamit lost to  BJP’s Dr. Jairam Gamit. In 2017, Congress candidate Sunil Gamit won the Nizar with the victory margin of 23,000 votes.

The BJP is all set to retain the Dangs assembly seat for the second consecutive term. BJP’s sitting MLA Vijay Patel against the Congress candidate.

The Jhagadia assembly constituency, which is the strong hold of Chhotu Vasava, the founder of Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) since 1990, has sprung a surprise with BJP’s Hitesh Vasava leading on the seat. Chhotubhai Vasava, a seven-term MLA from Jhagadia is trailing against BJP’s Hitesh Vasava.

For the first time since 1990, Chhotubhai Vasava who is considered as the tribal leader is likely to be defeated by the BJP.

Interestingly, BTP is also losing its ground in the Dediapada assembly constituency in Narmada district where Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Chaitar Vasava is leading ahead of the BJP, Congress and the BTP Candidates. In 2017, Mahesh Vasava, elder son of Chhotu Vasava and BTP President won from Dediapada with a margin of 21,000 votes. Chaitar, who is the former close confidante and personal assistant of Mahesh Vasava is a popular tribal leader in Dediapada.

With Chaitar Vasava winning in Dediapada and BJP’s Hitesh Vasava in Jhagadia, the BTP’s dominance in South Gujarat among the tribal community has ended. BTP had won two seats of Jhagadia in Bharuch district and Dediapada in Narmada district in 2017 with the poll alliance with Congress.

Mandvi in Surat district was the lone seat that Congress won in the 2017 elections in Surat district out of the total 16 seats. This time around, the sitting MLA of Congress Anand Chaudhri has lost to BJP’s Kuvarji Halpati.

In Dahod (ST) assembly constituency, Congress has tasted a severe defeat since 2007. Congress candidate Harshad Ninama was defeated by BJP’s Kanaiyalal Kishore with a huge margin of 27,000 votes.

In Garbada (ST) assembly constituency in Dahod district, Congress’ sitting MLA Chandrika Baraiya was defeated by Mahesh Bhabhor. In 2017, Congress won this seat with a margin of 16,000 votes.

In Jhalod assembly constituency, there was a two-cornered contest between the BJP and the AAP. BJP’s Mahesh Bhuriya won with over 13,000 victory margin against AAP’s Anil Garasiya.

The Congress has retained the Vansda assembly seat with its sitting MLA Anant Patel defeating BJP’s Piyush Kumar Patel with over 16,000 votes.

Former union minister Dr. Tushar Chaudhary has won from the Khedbhrama (ST) constituency against Ashwin Kotwal of the BJP. In 2017, Kotwal had won on the Congress ticket from Khedbhrama.