Bapa returns ‘home’,cuts a lonely figure in small crowd

On Friday,however,it was a humbling moment for Patel. Even his former comrades were missing from his rally.

At a village in Visavadar,Mota Kotda,vice-sarpanch Kanu Kanani welcomed “Bapa”,as Keshubhai is fondly called,with a garland of currency notes,as did the heads of 10 other villages. But his other staunch supporters like Rati Savalia,Ramnhik Dudhatra and Narendra Kotil,who used to look after the former CM’s office in Visavadar,were absent.

“I do not want former supporters. I want to bring in change,” Patel told The Indian Express.

Addressing the gathering at Visavadar,Patel made an emotional appeal recounting how he agreed to his party BJP’s writ in 2001 and stepped down as CM to pave way for Narendra Modi,who got everything on a platter. “But I had no idea that Modi will ruin Gujarat and BJP like this. I have come out at ripe age of 84 because I cannot see this destruction,” he said.

“Visavadar is the epicentre of change in Gujarat. I have come here again to do a hat-trick. But I want your support so that not a single seat in Junagadh goes to BJP or the Congress,” he said.

Supporters like Kanani argue that though there is discontent in the region against Modi,who allegedly sidelined Leuva Patel leaders after Keshubhai’s ouster,many were still to come out in open to back the former CM.

Kanani himself quit BJP when his own party colleagues allegedly shot at him a few months ago.

After the Khodaldham temple movement eary this year,it seemed Patel had been able to mobilise Leuva Patels,a politically influential community which is 1.5-crore strong. If Keshubhai contests from Visavadar,his win or loss will be a good indicator of the fate of his party’s larger success.

Keshubhai’s supporters like Chandu Dedhuk argue that discontent against the BJP is so strong that its local MLA Kanu Bhalala,himself a former aide of Keshubhai,cannot enter the town without protection. “Bapa is from our community. How can we take his insult,” says Dedhuk,who has joined GPP.

Asked about who all had joined GPP along with him,he says,“They are afraid to come out in the open. Bapa took 10 years to leave the BJP. His supporters are taking their own time. But Bapa will win for sure.”

Keshubhai’s Gujarat Parivartan Yatra,which started from Virpur in Rajkot district,came to Visavadar on Friday covering centres like Vadal,Junagadh city,Mendarda in Junagadh district and proceeded to its next stop of Bhesan.