2024 Surendranagar Lok Sabha elections: BJP gains pole position in constituency dominated by Koli community

In the Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituency, where voting for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on May 7, the BJP’s strong influence poses a potential challenge from the Congress, which has leadership issues in the region. is canceling out.

While the BJP is banking on the creation of the Ram Mandir and developmental initiatives to sustain it, the Congress has consistently failed to engage with voters on key constituency issues.

The main candidates are Rutvikbhai Rabjibhai Makwana of the Congress and Chandubhai Chhagambhai Shihora of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who replaced sitting MP Dr Mahendra Munjapala.

Surendranagar consists of Viramgam, Danduka, Dasada, Limdi, Wadhwan, Chotila and Durangadra assembly segments.

The main factors at play in Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituency are:

• The Koli community has traditionally dominated the constituency. It is primarily agricultural in nature.
• Although he was a union minister, the BJP needed to replace sitting MP Mahendra Munjapala with 62-year-old Chandubhai Chhagunbhai Shihora, who is also the face of the Koli community.
• Mr. Shihora is a member and past president of Morbi district panchayat. He is the deputy head of the Morbi district unit of the BJP and is known for conducting mass weddings among the Koli community and also congratulating bright students. People are reportedly dissatisfied with Dr. Munjapala, but this does not indicate dissatisfaction with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s extreme position in the constituency and control of all seven segments of Parliament. .
• The BJP’s strong influence negates any potential challenge from the Congress, which has fielded Rutvikbhai Rabjibhai Makwana. He is a former MLA and the son of Koli, a prominent member of his community.
• Surendranagar-Dudrej-Wadhwan, which was a communal municipality, will now become a municipal corporation, which has made its residents happy. Even though the Narmada river project has benefited most farmers in the constituency, there are still some tehsils who are suffering from water scarcity in summer. This has upset some farmers.

What are the key condition factors?

• Ram Mandir: According to local reports, the inauguration of Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya has upset voters in Gujarat. Hinduism accounts for 88.57 percent of Gujarat’s population, making Hindus the majority religion. The chances of the BJP winning across the board in the state are high.
• development: Gujarat has become a model state for development, with initiatives like GIFT City setting a global example. Development projects are visible on the ground and there is a high level of satisfaction with the work being done by the Center and state governments. The state maintains its position as one of the fastest growing states in the country and its voters are proud to be Gujarati.
• There is no opposition party: The Congress is struggling to maintain its presence in the state. The fact that MLAs like Arjun Modhwadia quit the party after not participating in the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony highlights the disconnect with reality. The leaders are dissatisfied with the party’s style of management in the state. The main problems are the absence of key players and the decline in leadership. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra also does not seem to have had much of an impact. The controversy over the transfer of Ahmed Patel’s constituency to AAP has also dealt a blow to the party’s image.

Voter demographics

Total number of voters: 18,47,878 (2019)

Population composition

South Carolina Voters: Approximately 1,84,788 (10% of total) according to 2011 Census

ST voters: Approximately 20,327 people (1.1% of the total) according to the 2011 census

Rural voters: Approximately 13,72,973 people (74.3% of total) according to 2011 census

Urban voters: Approximately 4,74,905 (25.7% of total) (as per 2011 census)

religious composition

Hinduism: 89.88%

Muslim: 7.97%

Jainism: 1.77%

Christian: 0.26%

Buddhism: 0.04%

Sikhism: 0.08%

Check the schedule, main candidates and constituencies for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections 3rd phase on the News18 website.