Caste equations will determine poll outcome

PALANPUR: The age-old saying that in India people do not cast their vote but vote their caste seems to be coming true in north Gujarat. It will be the caste equations that will play a decisive role in the poll outcome in the region once again. While the candidates may raise issues like development, price rise and corruption during their campaigns, they have already started concentrating on traditional caste wise voting patterns.
In all the four parliamentary constituencies of Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Patan and Banaskantha, it is the communities of Kshatriyas, Patels, Thakores and Aanjna Chaudharys that continue to dominate electoral politics.
BJP fielding Deepsinh Rathod against former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela in Sabarkantha is a reflection of this trend. "North Gujarat voters are left with no other alternative, but to elect on the basis of caste," former dean of law at Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University in Patan Mukund Brahmkshatriya said.
In Mehsana, both -- the sitting BJP MP Jayshree Patel and Congress candidate Jiva Patel -- come from the influential Leuva Patel community. Similarly, in Banaskantha constituency, both -- Hari Chaudhary of BJP and Congress candidate Joita Patel -- who is the sitting MLA from Dhanera, belong to the Aanjna Chaudhary community. In Patan, BJP's Liladhar Vaghela, minister of state and sitting MLA from Deesa, who has locked horns with Bhavsinh Rathod of Congress, are both from the Thakore community.
"Patan became a general constituency in 2009. This time again we are witnessing fights between candidates from the Thakore community," Brahmkshatriya said.