LS polls: ‘Banned’ entry, BJP’s Sabarkantha candidate is escorted by cops as she seeks vote for Modi

A retired school teacher, Baraiya is seeking votes to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. Her main opponent is Congress’ Tushar Chaudhary (58), former Union minister, MLA from Khedbrahma in Sabarkantha district and a tribal leader.

Chaudhary is the son of the Gujarat’s first tribal chief minister, the late Amarsinh Chaudhary. Shobhna’s husband Mahendra Baraiya, meanwhile, is a former Congress MLA from Prantij who joined the BJP in August 2022.

Accompanied by local BJP leaders, including Modasa MLA and MoS Bhikhusinh Parmar, and a woman constable travelling with her in the SUV, Baraiya campaigns in the shadow of the Kshatriya protests against Union Minister and BJP’s Rajkot candidate Parshottam Rupala for his alleged derogatory remarks against the community.

Parmar introduces Baraiya as a candidate “who has been chosen by party high command and not by us”, as if putting to rest the protests against her nomination. Besides Vadodara, Sabarkantha is the other Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat where BJP has changed its candidates after formally announcing its nominee.

The BJP had initially announced the name of Bhikhaji Thakor as its candidate, who went on to announce on social media that he was withdrawing for “personal reasons”. Following this, Baraiya’s name was announced, which led to protests by purported Thakor supporters.

‘Jai Shri Ram’ is how Baraiya begins her speech at Shinawad, where she is greeted by anti-BJP banners. She goes on to say, “With your votes, Modi saheb can take important decisions, come up with important schemes and enact important legislations. He has given 33 per cent reservation to women (in the Parliament). Modiji has concerns for all.”

In other villages, too, Kshatriyas have put up banners banning entry of BJP workers with the BJP cadre witnessing protests at places like Vadali and Idar in Sabarkantha.

Asked about Baraiya campaigning under police protection, a BJP says, “It (police protection) is to preempt any public protest by Kshatriyas. Ideally, it should not be there but what can be done?”

Another party leader claims that Kshatriya protests do not have much impact. “We are confident of winning comfortably. But it pollutes the atmosphere and becomes headline in the media. So, we are taking police help to ensure there is no protest that can become a headline.”

Aravalli district Superintendent of Police Shaifali Barwal says, “While she (Baraiya) campaigns, total police bandobast is being provided. My personal LCB-SOG (Local Crime Branch-Special Operation Group) team escorts her. The bandobast is being provided by the local police and adjoining police stations whenever she is in Aravalli.”

Barwal adds that Kshatriya agitation is one of the many reasons for deploying police personnel to maintain law and order.

Rajendrasinh Kumpavat, a Kshatriya leader and former president of Sabarkantha district panchayat from the Congress, says: “In villages having Kshatriya population, entry of BJP workers and leaders has been prohibited. If BJP workers or leaders go to such a village, Kshatriya leaders are opposing them. Our agitation was earlier against Parshottam Rupala, now it is against BJP.”

“Banners have been placed at the entrance of villages indicating that certain people cannot enter. It serves as a notice to preempt any law and order situation. Because of our protest, BJP has changed its strategy. Now, instead of public meetings, they are holding meetings at individual homes,” he adds.

When pointed out that BJP is calling the protests sponsored by Congress, Kumpavat says, “A coordination committee of 92 Kshatriya organisations has been leading the agitation. Some of the strongest BJP supporters from the community are now protesting against BJP.”

Dinesh Sutariya (46), a construction worker from Sabalpur village, attended Baraiya’s public meeting at Shinawad. “I am a BJP supporter. My family earlier supported the Congress but we have got various facilities from the BJP government, like tap water and LPG gas. So, we have shifted to BJP,” he says.

On shrinking Opposition space, he says, “I believe that there should be a strong Opposition in the country. But they (Congress) have to perform as well. If they don’t perform, what do we do?”

Dineshsinh Solanki (46), a farmer from Sabalpur, is from the Thakor-OBC community. “We have some issues in the village like non-availability of water, lack of street lights and no pucca roads to the village cremation ground… I believe our issues will be resolved only if we vote for the BJP since it has been in power for long in the state… If we vote for Congress or any other party, they will not be in a position to resolve our issues. So, it is better to vote for BJP,” he says.

Bhikhusinh Parmar, meanwhile, maintains: “This election is different. Our candidate is from our district. The opponent (Chaudhary) is not from our district. Congress anyways does not have any existence. (So) if somebody votes for Congress, it is certain that it will go to dustbin.”

“We are going to win by a margin of over five lakh votes… People want to make Modi saheb PM for the third time. Voters only see Modi saheb, bahen (Baraiya) is just a symbol,” he adds.

Spread over seven Assembly constituencies in Aravalli and Sabarkantha — Himmatnagar, Idar, Khedbrahma, Bhiloda, Modasa, Bayad and Prantij — the Sabarkantha Lok Sabha constituency has over 19.66 lakh voters. Two of the seven Assembly constituencies, Bhiloda and Khedbhrama, are reserved for Scheduled Tribes. The OBCs form the biggest chunk of voters, followed by tribals, Dalits, Muslims, Patidars and others.

Though Sabarkantha is a general category seat, Congress has fielded a tribal who is a doctor. Chaudhary’s campaign revolves around raging inflation under Modi government and the guarantees given by Congress in its election manifesto. He is also highlighting that one year as Khedbrahma MLA, he has got sanctioned developmental works worth Rs 250 crore.

“The price of per 10 gm of gold was Rs 22,500 in 2014. Today, it has reached Rs 75,000. So, we cannot afford to buy gold as well. So, coming to power while promising to eliminate poverty, the Modi government has made us poorer,” Chaudhary tells voters.

Campaigning in villages like Panch Mahuda, Hingatiya, Zanzva, Bahediya and Khedva in Khedbrahma tehsil, Chaudhary gives out details of developmental works that benefited the concerned village. He is also distributing his educational and political profile along with a pocket calendar, with photographs of him and his late father displayed prominently over it. His campaign highlights the fact that BJP has fielded the wife of a Congress turncoat in the election.

Jashiben Keshabhai (45), a Dalit from Modasa tehsil who claims to be a Congress supporter, says: “We go to any public meeting that people invite us to. What is the harm in attending meetings? I wear even their scarves (she waves her wrist on which a BJP scarf is wrapped). But I support Congress. It has provided government jobs to the poor in banks by nationalising it. Congress has real concern for the poor.”