Maru chale to mat bhagwan ne appu ke versad aave ne varah saru jaye. Aa netao shun karvana? (If I had my way, my vote would go to God for he will bless us with rains and we can have a good year. What can these leaders do for us?’’The BJP might be hoping that last year’s good monsoon will translate into a poll harvest but Balubhai Patel, a farmer from Virnagar village in Rajkot, and others like him give credit where it is due: to the heavens.As for the feel-good factor, just ask 65-year-old farmer Gokal Ramani of Latipur in Jamnagar constituency and he says: ‘‘Na baapa (no way).’’ Drinking water shortage and erratic power supply coupled with a hike in power tariff have ensured that it’s more whining than shining in Saurashtra villages. In Levua Patel-dominated Latipur, even Keshubhai Patel had a hard time when he visited on April 11. He couldn’t even start his speech till he promised to complete the water supply project hanging fire for 18 years.Amreli gets water supply once a week while Surendranagar gets 20 minutes of water every nine days. If Jamnagar gets water every alternate day and Rajkot daily, it is not because of the Narmada project but because the major dams in these two cities have not hit rock-bottom yet.And Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin is not an issue here. Farmers are bothered with when power supply will get regularised and their children get jobs. Said a BJP MLA from Saurashtra, ‘‘There is resentment among farmers due to the power tariff hike.’’ ‘‘Modi has charisma and oratorial skills but he spent more time criticising Sonia,’’ says Jayendra Upadhyay, a Jamnagar resident.But if BJP is having trouble hard-selling feel-good, leaderless, idea-less and policy-less Congress has nothing to offer voters either. While the BJP carpet-bombed the area with rallies by L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Keshubhai and Modi, the Congress could only manage one: Sonia in Jamnagar.Admits Vaghji Boda, a senior Congress leader from Saurastra: ‘‘The party has failed to exploit the situation as it’s not as publicity savvy as the BJP.’’ Add infighting and dearth of leaders of stature and the Congress’ cup of woes overflows. ‘‘Shankersinh Vaghela’s ouster from the post of GPCC chief has paved the way for a BJP win,’’ admits a senior leader from Amreli.In Rajkot, the Congress has allowed its ally, the NCP, to contest against Union Minister Dr Vallabh Kathiria even though the party has practically no base here.To take on BJP state president Rajendrasinh Rana in Bhavnagar, the Congress has chosen Gigabhai Gohil, who is in the poll fray after an interlude of 15 years. Surendrnagar is the only seat the party won last time and they are fielding Savshi Makwana who is banking on the 52 per cent Koli vote.In the BJP bastion of Junagadh, it is confusion for the Congress which couldn’t even find a candidate against Union Minister Bhavna Chikhaliya. If the Congress is still in the picture in Porbandar and Jamnagar, credit goes to Vithal Radadiya and Vikram Madam. Radadiya, who is known for his network, has been wooing Patel voters as well as projecting himself as the kisan neta who fought for their crop insurance. Backed by active MLAs in his constituency, Madam, too, is exploiting the caste factor to take on BJP’s fifth-timer Chandresh Patel.And he isn’t the only one. Caste is still a key factor in Saurashtra and both parties are using it to the hilt.
