Anandiben Patel may be spared the axe
The Gujarat CM may be eventually replaced, but not as of now.
New Delhi: With Gujarat, BJP’s strongest bastion emerging as party’s worst nightmare, the saffron strategists have decided to play a waiting game. Despite the Dalit rage brewing against the state government, the BJP has decided not to go in for a change of guard at this juncture.
“By doing so we will play into the Opposition hand. Anandiben Patel will eventually go, but, not at this juncture,” said a senior BJP functionary.
While the BJP is planning to weather the storm, Gujarat has turned into a hunting ground for the Opposition, particularly the Congress and the AAP. A day after, Congress vice-president, Rahul Gandhi's visit, AAP supremo and Delhi chief minister, Mr Arvind Kejriwal on Friday visited the Dalit family at Una. Mr Kejriwal who is now eyeing Punjab with 31 per cent Dalit population stepped on the gas and termed BJP as “anti-Dalit.”
Mr Kejriwal claimed that it was not an isolated incident and atrocities on Dalits were being committed across Gujarat.
He warned that the BJP government will be taught a lesson by members of all communities. Mr Kejriwal also stoked a controversy when he met Dalit youth Kanti Mulji Vala, arrested for the murder of head constable Pankaj Amrelia, at the Rajkot civil hospital where he is admitted.
When asked why he met a murder accused, Mr Kejriwal said he will also meet the family members of the constable at Amreli.
What’s worrying the BJP is that following outrage, nearly eight per cent Dalit vote bank in the state could shift to AAP if not Congress.
For the BJP, the AAP at this juncture is a greater threat at the national level. Dalits had been the traditional vote bank of the Congress till the then BJP chief minister, Keshubhai Patel snatched it away from them. The major cause of concern for the BJP is that the seven per cent Dalit vote bank could add up with 10 per cent Muslims. The Patidars, agitating against the BJP could also swell the number.