For the voter in Godhra—Hindu, Muslim, tribal or OBC—riots have overtaken all issues of progress, as has been the case for the past five years. The city received its biggest blow when the Panchmahals Cooperative Bank, with 48 branches all over the district, closed down in 2003 because of poor performance. This was followed by the shutting down of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee, transport businesses and the migration of white-collar jobs to cities like Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Shehra.

The resentment is understandable among Muslims: those who escaped the riots were either displaced or lost their means of livelihood, even as a 100-odd Muslims, suspected to have set the Sabarmati train on fire, still languish in prison after being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Hindus—Patels, Darbars and OBCs—are equally discontented owing to the loss of business.

How the prevailing despair translates into votes now remains to be seen.