Surendranagar Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP in Pole Position in Constituency Dominated by Koli Community

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posted on 7 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The BJP is banking on the inauguration of the Ram Mandir and development initiatives to hold it in good stead, while the Congress has consistently failed to connect with voters on key constituency issues

In Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7, the BJP strong influence negates any potential challenge from the Congress, which has a leadership issue in the region.

The key contenders are , the key contenders are Rutvikbhai Lavjibhai Makwana of the Congress and Chandubhai Chhaganbhai Shihora of the BJP, who replaced sitting MP Dr Mahendra Munjapara.

Surendranagar consists of Viramgam, Dhandhuka, Dasada, Limbdi, Wadhwan, Chotila and Dhrangadhra assembly segments.

Here are the key factors at play in the Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituency:

The Koli community has traditionally dominated the constituency; it is largely agrarian in nature.
Though he was a union minister, the BJP had to replace its sitting MP Dr Mahendra Munjapara with 62-year-old Chandubhai Chhaganbhai Shihora, who is also a face of the Koli community.
Shihora is a member of the Morbi district panchayat and is its former president as well. He was the vice-president of the BJP’s Morbi district unit and is known to conduct mass weddings among the Koli community and felicitate bright students as well. While the people were reportedly unhappy with Dr Munjapara, this does not indicate any discontent towards the BJP as its in pole position in the constituency and dominates all 7 assembly segments.
The BJP’s strong influence negates any potential challenge from the Congress, which has fielded Rutvikbhai Lavjibhai Makwana. He is a former MLA and son of a prominent member of the Koli community.
Surendranagar-Dudhrej-Wadhwan was a joint municipality, but will now be made a municipal corporation that has made the citizens happy. Despite the Narmada river project benefiting most of the constituency’s farmers, there are still some tehsils struggling with water scarcity in the summer. This has caused some farmers to be upset.

What are the key state factors?

Ram Mandir: According to reports on the ground, the inauguration of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya has swayed the voters in Gujarat. Hinduism constitutes 88.57 per cent of the Gujarat population and Hindus form the majority religion. The likelihood of a clean sweep for the BJP in the state is high.
Development: Gujarat has become a model state for development with initiatives like GIFT City becoming global examples. Development projects are visible on the ground and there is a high level of satisfaction with the work being done by the Centre and state government. The state has maintained its position of being one of the fastest-growing in the country, and voters are proud of being Gujarati.
Opposition non-existent: The Congress is struggling to remain relevant in the state. Defections by MLAs like Arjun Modhwadia due to the party staying away from the Ram Mandir inauguration underline the disconnect with ground realities. Leaders have complained about the party’s style of functioning in the state. Absence of key faces and a spent leadership is the primary problem. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra also does not seem to have made much of a dent. The controversy over handing Ahmed Patel’s constituency to the AAP has also hit the party’s image.