In Rahimabad, a resettlement colony in Devgadh Baria in Dahod, Muslims find security in numbers. So every new member—even those from neighbouring Randhikpur taluka—is welcome. But as the December 16 election date approaches, the residents are anxious.

With a Mumbai special court dictating its judgment in the Bilkis Bano case, residents of Devgadh Baria, where Bilkis’s father lives, plan to seek additional security. Also, Muslims from Randhikpur, where the incident took place in 2002, have started moving to Devgadh Baria.

Razzak Mansuri, a leader among those in the Rahimabad colony, said, “We plan to ask the district collector for extra security till the elections are over. We want to vote this time.” The request for extra security comes despite a permanent police picket and frequent patrols by the Central Para Military Force.

Here, NCP candidate Tushar Singh, who in 2002 contested on a Congress ticket and lost, is up against BJP MLA Bachubhai Khabad. Tushar Singh is also up against Bhupendrasinh Chauhan, an NCP rebel, disgruntled about Tushar’s candidature. The task seems uphill for Singh as he grapples with his identity, particularly since he campaigned in the 2002 elections on a Congress ticket. But the voters, especially the Muslims in Devgadh Baria, are confused, as they don’t know whether Singh can be trusted Singh—he is perceived to be a hardliner.