Rupala’s Unusual Act: Dalit Society Displeased Following Kshatriya Society Incident; Turmoil in Gujarat BJP
The difficulties for Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat, Parshottam Rupala, have escalated in Rajkot. The Kshatriya community is now upset with him after the Dalit community.
Social activist Ajay Kumar Nanjibhai Vanvi from Vanthali has filed a written complaint with the police station against Rupala under the atrocity act. In the complaint, it was stated that during a program held in Gondal on March 29, when forgiveness was sought from the Kshatriya community, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Parshottam Rupala had said during his speech, “Whatever program (or event) was there in the society, we were there just for the sake of it.”
They have insulted Dalits. Rupala also said, “Their tongue never slips in public life.” This is also a blatant lie. Referring to the Dalits’ program as a failure and insulting Dalits is a violation of the atrocity act. Therefore, a request was made to register a complaint under various sections of the atrocity act and to send a copy of the complaint to the police superintendent.
Turmoil in Gujarat BJP Over Lok Sabha Candidate Selection
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, tensions have risen within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as new rifts emerge among senior party members. Despite the public outcry following Rupala’s nomination, the situation has not yet stabilized, especially after recent replacements of candidates in Vadodara and Sabarkantha.
While Rupala’s plea has not sparked immediate upheaval, the reshuffling of candidates has added to the party’s internal discord. BJP is finding itself counting with a difference, not just in terms of seats but also in internal dissatisfactions. The root cause behind this turmoil lies in the overconfidence of the party leaders and the neglect towards the services rendered by veteran party workers.
BJP’s Leadership Crisis Amidst Upheaval in Gujarat’s Candidate Selection
When eight meetings pass without any action plan being devised, it signifies a lack of leadership at the top amidst rising tensions. The recent disputes, which began fifteen days ago, haven’t been pacified despite attempts by senior Gujarat leaders to directly intervene and hold discussions during the meetings.
Now, for the past two days, certain senior leaders have been trying to negotiate with some dissenting voices, yet the outcomes haven’t been fruitful. This persistent situation might lead to considerable struggles for BJP’s candidates to win the upcoming elections.
Having won 26 meetings consecutively since the last term, BJP now struggles to repeat this feat, and each meeting now carries the weight of aspirations from over five lakh supporters. However, hurdles might emerge at any point, threatening this achievement.
All this turmoil primarily stems from internal conflicts within BJP’s ranks, leaving voters without any visible reactions so far. Their silence might prove detrimental for BJP’s prospects in Gujarat.
Uncertainty Looms Over Leadership’s Objectives Despite Winning Seats
Even in the event of winning seats, there remains a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the leadership’s objectives in attaining the desired targets.
| Contested Seats | Margin in 2019 (in lakhs) | Margin in 2014 (in lakhs) | Since Which Term |
| Rajkot | 3.68 | 2.46 | Since 1989 (after 2009-14) |
| Sabarkantha | 2.68 | 85,000 (Thousands) | Since 2009 |
| Vadodara | 5.70 | 5.89 | Since 1991 (after 1996-98) |
| Banaskantha | 3.68 | 2.02 | Since 2013 |
| Valsad | 3.53 | 2.08 | Since 2014 |
| Porbandar | 2.30 | 2.68 | Since 1991 (after 2009-13) |
| Anand | 1.97 | 63,000 (Thousands) | Since 2014 |
| Amreli | 2.01 | 1.56 | Since 1991 (after 2004-09) |
| Surendranagar | 2.77 | 2.03 | Since 2014 |
