Navsari Constituency: Congress' Uphill Task To Break BJP's Monopoly
Navsari is an important constituency for the BJP as it provides the maximum votes for the party. CR Patil, Gujarat state president of the BJP since 2020, is the candidate of Navsari. He is seeking a fourth term in the parliamentary constituency. Navsari has always provided a major vote share and majority for the BJP. In 2019, CR Patil won with a record margin of 689668 against Patel Dhramesh Bahi of Congress. In 2014, CR Patil won with a margin of 558116 against Congress candidate Maksud Mirza.
CR Patil boasts a distinguished political career. He is the first non-Gujarati president of the BJP in Gujarat. He pioneered the recent assembly election, which provided 156 out of 182 seats for the saffron party. CR Patil is acknowledged for his election strategies that consistently bolstered and developed the vote share of the BJP. He accumulated 70.72% of electorate in 2014, and it has further developed into 74.37% in 2019.
Meanwhile, Congress nominated Naishadh Deshai, the former Surat Congress President. Naishadh Desai has familial ties with Morarji Deshai, the former and first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. Naishadh Deshai is in an attempt to claim the BJP fortress by reminding Mahatma Gandhi in speeches and following similar dressing style. He filed his nomination in the attire of Mahatma Gandhi, reminding Dandi Yatra. He said that the people of Navsari have forgotten Gandhi, and we should recall Gandhi now.
However, the media evaluates Naishadh Deshai as a “suicidal candidate”. CR Patil is the confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he has maintained a prime leadership role in Gujarat State as well. CR Patil’s leading position in the vote margin gives the BJP confidence in an easy victory, aiming for a margin of 7 lakh or above. All seven assembly segments maintain BJP dominion as well. Even after considering all the facts, the Congress decided to nominate Naishadh Deshai. For Congress, reducing the margin of the BJP itself could satisfy Congress; therefore, the grand old party”s main intention is to maximise their vote share and gain victory in the BJP stronghold.
(This story is part of a Timeline. internship project.)
