Despite Modi,BJP fails to impress

Gujarat proved to be the face-saver for the BJP but only just,proving that the national hype....

Gujarat proved to be the face-saver for the BJP but only just,proving that the national hype around Chief Minister Narendra Modis political mettle was not much of a draw even in his home state. BJP improved its tally just by a lone seat as compared to the 2004 polls,while a cadre-less,disunited and leaderless Congress gave a close fight in many a seat. While BJP won 15 of the 26 seats (with the Kheda seat result pending),the Congress bagged 10.

Both Narendra Modi and BJP have been on a high since 2002,as the party trounced the Congress effectively in Assembly elections and municipal corporation electionsthough twice,they failed to impress in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. In spite of the Modi aura,the Congress surprised itself by doubling its seats from six in 1999 to 12 in 2004. In 2009,BJP can take credit for defeating two of the three Union ministersincluding strongman Shankersinh Vaghela and Minister of State for Railways Naran Rathwa.

But the seat tally in 2009 has not changed much. BJP has gained just one seat and if the results of Khedawhere Dinsha Patel,the third Union minister is tied in a close fightare to come by,a seat more or less additionally. The 2009 Lok Sabha polls have also witnessed a reduction in winning marginsmost notably that of BJPs L.K. Advaniamong both Congress and BJP candidates. The Congress can take some heart,though,from its Anand performance,from where Bharatsinh Solanki netted a margin of 67,318.

Story continues below this ad

Modis experiment of fielding new candidates also failed to get BJP a considerable lead this time. BJP had fielded 20 new faces,replacing nine sitting MPs,while the Congress stuck to its tried and tested leaders,replacing only two of its sitting MPs. In the bipolar state,where the Congress and BJP remain the only political parties,the situation remains unchanged in spite of Mahagujarat Janta Party headed by BJP rebel Gordhan Zadafias ambitious debut. Though in places the MJP ate into BJPs votes,Zadafia couldnt ensure BJPs defeat in Bhavnagar.

While BJP retains all the urban seats as has been the norm in Gujarat,it faced a surprise loss in Rajkot,where Modis handpicked candidate Kiran Patel lost to the Congresss Kunvarji Bavalia.