No third party in Gujarat polls
Unlike many other states, Gujarat presents a perfect example of bi-polar polity.
By Devesh Kumar, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Unlike many other states, Gujarat presents a perfect example of bi-polar polity. In fact, so complete is the polarisation in the society that the state’s electoral landscape has been reduced essentially to a two-horse race, with the BJP and the Congress occupying the two poles.
The verdict of the 2002 assembly polls bears out this trend. While the BJP polled 49.85% of the votes polled, which translated into 127 seats for the party, the Congress had to rest content with 39.28% of the total votes cast, which gave it a tally of 51 seats in the 182-member assembly.
It is, however, the category of “others” which proves the point that there is practically no room for the other political players in the state. Among the other outfits, only the JD(U) could open its account. It managed to win two seats (Jhagadiya and Dediapada), both falling in the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency in south Gujarat. The two tribal-dominated seats have, in fact, have become some sort of a JD(U) stronghold, and have kept the two principal players at bay since 1998.
The independents, too, emerged victorious in just two seats — Chotila and Deodar, even though there were as many as 344 of them in the fray.
The other political parties, however, drew a blank. These included the NCP, Samajwadi party, BSP and the two main Left parties. The state has, as a matter of fact, been gradually moving towards a bipolar system since 1990, when the Janata Dal, led by the late Chimanbhai Patel, had come to occupy the third pole, converting the battle for the state assembly into a triangular contest.
While the BJP, which fielded its candidates in 143 constituencies, triumphed in 67 of them, securing 26.69% of the total votes polled, the Janata Dal bagged 70 of the 147 seats it contested. Its vote-share was 29.36%. The two parties subsequently joined hands to prop up a government headed by Chimanbhai Patel.
The Congress saw its tally plummeting to 33, even though it had entered the fray in 181 seats. It managed to corner 30.74% of the total votes cast.
Besides the three parties, independents emerged victorious in 11 seats, while the Yuva Vikas Party round off the tally by bagging a lone seat. After Chimanbhai Patel’s demise in 1994, the space occupied by the Janata Dal was quickly usurped by the BJP, which came to power on its own in the assembly polls held in 1995.
The political space in the state has since then come to be occupied in the main by the BJP and the Congress, with bit players and independents getting squeezed out of the frame. In the elections held in 1998, the Janata Dal had all but disappeared from the scene. There were a good number of independents (16) in 1995, but even their strength had dwindled to mere three by 1998. The Janata Dal had been reduced to the status of a fringe player, while the All India Rashtriya Janata Party could emerge victorious in four seats.
In the elections held in 2002, the AIRJP had been wiped off completely, while the JD(U) and the independents could bag just two seats each. It is quite unlikely that UP chief minister Mayawati or NCP chief Sharad Pawar would be able to make any significant statement in the coming elections.
The verdict of the 2002 assembly polls bears out this trend. While the BJP polled 49.85% of the votes polled, which translated into 127 seats for the party, the Congress had to rest content with 39.28% of the total votes cast, which gave it a tally of 51 seats in the 182-member assembly.
It is, however, the category of “others” which proves the point that there is practically no room for the other political players in the state. Among the other outfits, only the JD(U) could open its account. It managed to win two seats (Jhagadiya and Dediapada), both falling in the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency in south Gujarat. The two tribal-dominated seats have, in fact, have become some sort of a JD(U) stronghold, and have kept the two principal players at bay since 1998.
The independents, too, emerged victorious in just two seats — Chotila and Deodar, even though there were as many as 344 of them in the fray.
The other political parties, however, drew a blank. These included the NCP, Samajwadi party, BSP and the two main Left parties. The state has, as a matter of fact, been gradually moving towards a bipolar system since 1990, when the Janata Dal, led by the late Chimanbhai Patel, had come to occupy the third pole, converting the battle for the state assembly into a triangular contest.
While the BJP, which fielded its candidates in 143 constituencies, triumphed in 67 of them, securing 26.69% of the total votes polled, the Janata Dal bagged 70 of the 147 seats it contested. Its vote-share was 29.36%. The two parties subsequently joined hands to prop up a government headed by Chimanbhai Patel.
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The Congress saw its tally plummeting to 33, even though it had entered the fray in 181 seats. It managed to corner 30.74% of the total votes cast.
Besides the three parties, independents emerged victorious in 11 seats, while the Yuva Vikas Party round off the tally by bagging a lone seat. After Chimanbhai Patel’s demise in 1994, the space occupied by the Janata Dal was quickly usurped by the BJP, which came to power on its own in the assembly polls held in 1995.
The political space in the state has since then come to be occupied in the main by the BJP and the Congress, with bit players and independents getting squeezed out of the frame. In the elections held in 1998, the Janata Dal had all but disappeared from the scene. There were a good number of independents (16) in 1995, but even their strength had dwindled to mere three by 1998. The Janata Dal had been reduced to the status of a fringe player, while the All India Rashtriya Janata Party could emerge victorious in four seats.
In the elections held in 2002, the AIRJP had been wiped off completely, while the JD(U) and the independents could bag just two seats each. It is quite unlikely that UP chief minister Mayawati or NCP chief Sharad Pawar would be able to make any significant statement in the coming elections.
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