The demand of the Kshatriya community is now becoming state-wide and from there country-wide in protest against Rupala, which is taking place all over the state. For the Bharatiya Janata Party, whether to change this Rupala or not has become like a knot stuck in the neck.
According to BJP insiders, there is a fear that the Patidar community will not be upset with the replacement of Rupala. However, the social war between Patidar and Kshatriya community in Saurashtra is two decades old, if Parshottam Rupala is replaced, this battle may increase the difficulty of BJP.
The demand to withdraw the candidature of Parshottam Rupala has become strong but this decision may prove to be very difficult for the BJP. The Kshatriya community claims that if this decision is not withdrawn by the BJP, then they will play a decisive role in 8 seats in Gujarat, but this is a bit exaggerated. It is very unlikely that the Kshatriya community will directly cause a big loss to the BJP in any seat in the Lok Sabha elections, but if the Patidar community gets upset with the cancellation of Rupala's ticket, the BJP may have to suffer a big loss.
Kadwa Patidars in Saurashtra, Central Gujarat and North Gujarat and Leuva Patidars in Saurashtra and South Gujarat and Central Gujarat have a large population. Patidar Samaj is in a decisive role in some seats. If Rupala is removed by BJP and her message is anti-BJP among Patidar Samaj, there is no question that it will be a tough climb for BJP to win 26 Lok Sabha seats. Rajkot Lok Sabha seat has 22 lakh voters against Kshatriya Samaj voters. Estimated is 1.80 lakh against which Patidar Samaj vote is more than 7 lakh which is very indicative.
Two decades of history of Patidars vs Kshatriyas in Saurashtra
Popatbhai Soorthia was elected as a Congress candidate in the 1985 assembly elections. The Kshatriyas grew in stature and the Patidars diminished in the new power equation, a direct impact of which was seen in Saurashtra plagued by caste-caste equations. Here there were violent clashes between Patidars and Kshatriyas.
During this period, Bhimjibhai Patel, an independent MLA from Kalavad seat in Jamnagar district, was stabbed to death at ST bus-station and a Kshatriya youth was found guilty. In addition, three Garasias were killed by Patels at Choumal village in Bhavnagar district, in revenge for which a tractor of Patidars returning from a ritual was targeted at Mangarh (Bhavnagar), killing 11 Patidars. Because of this, the gap between Patidars and Kshatriyas widened.
A Congress MLA was murdered
After that On August 15, 1988, during an Independence Day program at Sangramsingh High School in Gondal, 22-year-old Kshatriya youth Anirudh Singh Jadeja (ribbed) shot and killed Congress MLA Popatbhai Sorthia at point-blank range.
The name of the young man accused of murder is Anirudh Singh
One year after the murder of Papatbhai Soorthia. On November 26, 1989, veteran Patidar leader and former Health Minister Vallabhbhai Patel was murdered at Hadmatia village in Paddhari. Coincidentally, the name of the youth accused of murder was also Anirudh Singh. Then on April 15, 1995, the murdered body of Jentibhai Vadodaria was found from Ashapura Dam Pass. He was a young and promising Patidar leader. Keshubhai established himself as a Patidar leader by contesting from Kalavad, Gondal and Tankara seats where the Patidar MLA was killed and also rose to the post of Chief Minister.
Voters from both communities form BJP's traditional vote bank
For years, there has been a cold war between the Patidar and Kshatriya communities in Saurashtra politics. Today the conditions have changed but still the old stories are alive in people's hearts. Over time, BJP has been successful in convincing the Patidars and Kshatriya communities and BJP is considering the voters of both communities as its traditional vote bank. If the BJP takes any decision in support of the Kshatriya community, it is very likely that the Patidar community will be upset with it, which can have a big impact on the BJP.
BJP has claimed that there is no question of replacing Parasottam Rupala as candidate when BJP will not change its candidate on any of the 26 seats. However, on the other hand, how BJP will convince the Kshatriya community which is its traditional and supported vote bank is also a big question. For the BJP, this situation has become like a bone stuck in the throat which cannot be swallowed or spat out. It has to be seen what decision BJP takes on this.
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