Gujarat BJP’s new face retains Chhota Udepur

VADODARA: Chhota Udepur constituency sprang a surprise by ensuring victory for BJP’s Geeta Rathwa with a record margin, helping the party to retain this tribal-dominated seat for the fourth time. A first-time Lok Sabha candidate Geeta secured the Chhota Udepur seat for the saffron party by defeating Congress’ Ranjitsinh Rathwa by over massive 3.77 lakh votes.
Geeta led the margin from the first round of counting itself, as by afternoon she broke the previous margin record of 1.79 lakh votes which was set by her predecessor and party colleague Ramsinh Rathwa.
The voter turnout this time also recorded high at 73.44%. While Geeta secured 7,64,445 votes, Ranjitsinh managed to get 3,86,502 votes.
Besides banking on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face and the delimitation of the seat, several other factors worked in Geeta’s favour. Congress party’s main worry was the infighting among its senior leaders. The two Rathwa heavyweights – Naran Rathwa and Mohansinh Rathwa – displayed a united face. But a couple of other senior leaders who had a stronghold in their areas remained inactive throughout the campaigning.
The BJP, too, had realized early that anti-incumbency was running high in the constituency against its three-time MP Ramsinh. The change of candidate and betting on a new face paid well.