Mehsana district in North Gujarat is going to the polls on 14 December, the second phase of Gujarat assembly elections.

Mehsana is situated at around 60 km away from Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar. The pulse of voters here usually determines which party rules the state. Mehsana has seven assembly seats. PM Narendra Modi's hometown Vadnagar is also situated in this district.

In the 2012 assembly elections, the BJP had won five seats and the rest two were won by the Congress.

This district in the recent times was referred as the starting point of the Patidar agitation led by Hardik Patel. The Congress is expecting to cash in on Hardik Patel's popularity to break into BJP's citadel.

Apart from the politically-dominant Patidars, Mehsana district, that has a population of around 20.35 lakhs, also has Kshatriyas, Muslims and Dalits.

Mehsana assembly segment in this district is currently represented by the state Deputy CM and Finance Minister Nitin Patel.

Mehsana, also known as Patidar hub, witnessed violent agitation in 2015 for the demands of reservation in government jobs and colleges. Due to the Patidar agitation, the BJP lost its hold during the local body elections held in November 2015. The replacement of Anandiben Patel with Vijay Rupani as CM of Gujarat is also due to the consequences of the Patidar agitation.

Umiya Mata Mandir, the most holy place of Kadva Patidar, also falls in Mehsana. Maa Umiya, is preached as the Kuldevi of the Kadva Patidar community.

If in the 2017 elections, Congress with the help of Patidars is able to reverse the 2012 results, it will definitely boost their strength against the BJP's dominance.

ASSEMBLY SEATS UNDER THIS DISTRICT AND PARTY WIN IN 2012 ELECTION:

VIJAPUR

INC

KHERALU	BJP
UNJHA	BJP
VISNAGAR	BJP
BECHARAJI	BJP
KADI (SC)	INC
MEHSANA	BJP
VIJAPUR	INC

PARTY POSITION

BJP: 5

INC: 2

MEHSANA SEAT

Total 34 candidates are contesting for this seat. Gujarat's Deputy CM and Finance Minister Nitinbhai Patel is contesting against Congress' Jivabhai Patel, who was the MP from Mehsana Lok Sabha seat in 2004. Interestingly in 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Jivabhai Patel defeated Nitin Patel by 14511 votes. In 2012, Nitin Patel had won with a victory margin of 24,205 votes.

Mehsana is expected to see one of the hardest fights in Gujarat as Patidars led by Hardik Patel are determined to defeat Nitin Patel, one of BJP's most important leader and minister, at any cost.

Mehsana has a total electorates of 2.59 lakh, with male and female voters count of 1.34 lakh and 1.25 lakh respectively. As per the news reports, around 28 percent of the electorate belongs to the Patel community.The result of Mehsana seat will decide Hardik Patel's real effect in the current assembly polls.

Why BJP's prestige is at stake in Mehsana?

Mehsana, the district that marked the starting point of Patidar agitation, will make a coveted seat for both BJP and Congress. Congress is expecting to cash in on Hardik Patel's popularity to break into BJP's citadel.