Gujarat elections: Why did the BJP lose in Unjha

The BJP just about managed to retain Gujarat for the 6th time. While it failed to breach the 100 mark, it took solace out of the fact that it had indeed managed to beat the anti-incumbency factor.

The seat share for the BJP drastically dropped when compared to the 2012 elections. The BJP however did not manage to the win the Unjha seat.

In Vadnagar the BJP's Shankarji Dhabi won the Kheralu seat. However in Unjha, Lalludas Patel of the BJP was defeated by Dwarkadas Patel of the Congress. The BJP has not lost in Unjha since 1995 and Lalludas has been a five time MLA from here.

The big question is why did the BJP lose this constituency. There is no doubt that the people here take pride in the fact that Modi is today Prime Minister. However they have other things to worry about.

Speaking to the analysts one gets the picture that it was the agrarian crisis which overshadowed Modi's popularity in this belt. The people are particularly upset that not much has been done on this front. Several youth have moved away from here in search of jobs in cities.

Many have shunned the cotton business in this area and have opted for other jobs. They are not happy to be doing this. On the other hand, they had seen hope in Rahul Gandhi who instantly struck a chord with the farmer community. This was also clear in the fact that the Congress put up a better show in the rural areas of Gujarat.

During one of his rallies, Rahul Gandhi had said that if his party comes to power they would start the process for loan waiver. It sounded like music to many farmers. The farmers said that the Congress all through the campaign spoke about their issues. The BJP did not do much to address these concerns, they also said.

OneIndia News