Modi man Friday leaves for seat search

RSS pracharak-turned chief minister Narendra Modi, who will have to get elected to the state Assembly by mid-April has started a frantic search for a safe constituency. And in a significant related development, his man Friday, party MLA Amit Shah was dispatched to Kutiyana, which ironically is Gujarat’s most criminally tainted seat to assess the constituency.

Kutiyana near Porbunder is at present represented by Karsan Dula Odedara, a BIP MLA who is more than willing to offer his seat to Mr Modi. Karsan Dula, who is a Mer leader and a leading transport contractor stressed that "it will be my great privilege if Narendrabhai decides to contest elections from Kutiyana. BJP is the only party which has given a sense of security to the people in my region.

This constituency is very safe for the BIP since people have reposed complete faith. Till the BJP won this seat it was marked by severe goondagardi. The BIP stopped all anti-social activities and hence the localities are happy with us," he claimed.

Ironically, Karsan Dula’s very own brother, Bhima Dula is an ex-Tada and ex-Pasa detainee and the brothers are known more for their antisocial activities than any concrete political or social contribution. Kutiyana is an interesting constituency near Porbunder and before Karsan Dula of the BJP, it was represented by Bhura Munjha, estranged brother of slained criminal ganglord Sarman Munjha. Before Munjha, it was represented by Santok Jadeja, widow of Sarman Munjha known more as the Mafia Queen or God Mother.

Interestingly. when Shankarsinh Vaghela staged his infamous Khajuraho rebellion, Bhura Munjha of Kutiyana was the first MLA to offer his seat. Karsan Dula has now followed suit. Kutiyana’s majority population is of Mers followed by Ahirs who are traditionally rivals of the Mer community. For the first time in the history of Gujarat politics, the present Modi Cabinet has two Ahir ministers — Devanand Solanki and Mulu Bera. This means that both Mer and Ahirs may extend support to Modi in case he decides to contest from Kutiyana. Modi, however, would have to strike a compromise with the Congress for the Vijaydas Mahant family still enjoys a considerable clout here and one of Mahant’s son has been keen to contest on a Congress ticket. Top BJP sources confirmed that Amit Shah who is at present considered to be Modi’s Man Friday is camping in Kutiyana to get a fair assessment of the constituency. Karsan Dula, the area MLA however evaded to answer on this but harped on the fact of how fortunate he would be if he got the privilege to offer his seat to Narendra Modi.

Modi’ s constituency hunting has sprung a number of names and every party MLA is eager to impress him by offering their seats. Starting from Bharat Pandya from Dhanduka to. Maya Kodnani from Naroda, CM Modi has been flooded offers from varied corners to contest elections from these "safe constituencies." However, this is for the first time that Modi has sent his man for an assessment of a constituency. Other names of constituencies Modi might contest doing rounds include Naroda, Morbi and Visnagar. Sources claim that the chief minister is not likely to decide upon his constituency till the gram panchayat elections scheduled on December 23 get over. "But he might as well be doing some home work," a source claimed.

Republished from The Asian Age