They're the Laloo-Rabri of Gujarat. Like the RJD supremo, he’s a shrewd politician, enjoying quite a bit of clout with the Lehuva Patel farmers who dominate his constituency in Saurashtra. Like the Bihar Chief Minister, she’s transformed herself from a housewife to a politician only to support her husband’s career. Meet Vithal Radadia, sitting Congress MLA for Dhoraji-Jamkandorna and the party nominee this time too, and his wife Chetna, who’ll be standing from neighbouring Kalavad. Chetna admits that she defers to her husband on all issues — from the date on which her campaign will begin to when she’ll file her nomination. Asked what her manifesto is, she said, ‘‘I’ll have to consult him (Vithal).’’ The major problems in her constituency? No idea, but she asked The Indian Express to talk to either Vithalbhai or her secretary. Vithal, too, says up front that he’ll be acting on behalf of his wife. ‘‘She will be contesting but I will manage all affairs on her behalf,’’ he said. And he’s dismissive of the Laloo-Rabri tag. ‘‘People may say anything but the fact remains that we are capable of getting votes. In fact, if allowed, I can contest from five constituencies.’’ Senior Congress leaders share his optimism on her vote-catching abilities. ‘‘She won the Rajkot district panchayat elections in 2000 and she’ll win again in Kalavad’’, says one. Then adds, ‘‘She’s Vithalbhai’s wife.’’ Incidentally, Chetna, who’s studied till Class X, doesn’t give the credit for the ticket to her husband. ‘‘Uparwala ni kripa thi ticket mali che (It is because of God’s grace that I have been given a ticket)’’ she says. But while other ticket aspirants in the Congress went to a lot of trouble, it was a cakewalk for Chetna. The stage was set three months ago when she resigned from the post of Rajkot district panchayat president. ‘‘Vithal Radadia was so confident that the party wouldn’t deny his wife a ticket that he asked her to resign the panchayat post three months ago,’’ said a Rajkot district panchayat member. Not only that, the Congress has also given Chetna the seat which Radadia wanted for her, despite the fact that it’s gone to the BJP the last three times. ‘‘Kalavad is located adjacent to his constituency, both are dominated by the Lehuva Patel farmers’’, points out Govindbhai Ranparia, Rajkot district Congress president. But if Radadia calls the shots here, it’s not without reason. A co-operative sector leader, he’s remained unbeaten for the last three terms, whichever party he’s contested for. In 1990, he fought the Assembly elections as an Independent, on a BJP ticket in 1995, and on an RJP (Shankersinh Vaghela’s party) ticket in 1998. Every time, he won. Though he parted ways from the RJP and joined the Congress much before Vaghela did, party sources said the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president bears no grudges.
