Popular fury over the GST is the Congress’ new lifeline as the Gujarat Assembly election nears, and the BJP hopes to douse the anger with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma and Hindutva’s enduring appeal in the State.

At a panchayat office in northern Gujarat, the two sides meet, and clash, inadvertently revealing what each of the office-bearers is trying to conceal. The more vociferous and articulate RSS-affiliated members belong to Chatral panchayat, which is part of the Kalol Assembly constituency that the Congress won in 2012, by a margin of just 343 votes. The Congress supporters, quintessentially reticent, hail from the nearby Ankhol village panchayat, which is part of Kadi Assembly constituency, which also went to the Congress’ kitty by an equally low margin of 1,217 votes, that is by cornering just about 0.59 per cent higher than the BJP’s vote share.

The situation was significantly different in 2014, the year 60.11 per cent of Gujaratis voted to elect Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. The Kalol assembly segment belongs to the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency, where the BJP secured a staggering 68.03 per cent of the vote. Kadi forms part of the Mehsana parliamentary seat, where 57.78 per cent of the voters favoured the BJP.

The overwhelming emotion that drove voters to install Modi as PM has ebbed since, under the weight of issues such as jobs losses due to GST/demonetisation, falling prices of agricultural produce and a burst of young challengers — Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani — all of whom have, directly or indirectly, hitched themselves on to the Congress bandwagon.

“But Modi is God,” says Dhiraj Patel. “(When) he starts touring...they will all flee.” The elderly Dinesh Patel takes over. “Ultimately, what matters in Gujarat is Hindutva and Modi. He will come here and do magic and Gujarat will vote for him. Nothing else matters. Do you think we are going to hand over the State to the Muslim-loving Congress?”

The five formidable BJP supporters in Chatral panchayat office are all Patidars, the community which newcomer Hardik Patel is expected to swing towards the Congress. While they hail Modi, Manibhai Thakore, the head of neighbouring Ankhol panchayat delivers his punchline, albeit in low tones, almost whispering. “The Congress is getting 99 seats in Gujarat. They [BJP] have no idea how angry people are with their GST mismanagement,” he says.

Thakore is supported by two youngsters who are more aggressive. “What has this government done? People have lost jobs. Factories have shut down. And is the corruption any less?” asks Pratap Rathore.

A top BJP leader concedes that there is a contest. “But we will still win. And we will handsomely, over 150 seats. It is still some time for the elections. We will win over those who are angry. And Modi ji has not yet started campaigning,” says the BJP leader.

The PM clearly has a lot riding on his shoulders.

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