Will Sahu voters return to BJP?
| Date :18-Apr-2019 |
Staff Reporter RAIPUR:
The notion that Sahu voters are to play decisive role in the Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh, gathered more wind after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaigning in Chhattisgarh, while coming down heavily on the AICC President, asked the people whether a whole community can be criticised for the sake of belittling one person. Modi said the AICC President says ‘Sabhi Modi chor hai,’ while adding that people from Sahu community in Chhattisgarh, had they been in Gujarat, they would have written ‘Modi’ instead of ‘Sahu’ as surname.
He asked is it correct on the part of the AICC President to castigate whole community as ‘Chor’. Modi who is known for his aggressive style of campaigning, had addressed two public meetings in Korba and Bhatapara ahead of election campaigning coming to an end for second phase of elections in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Modi, who himself belongs to Modh-Ghanchi-Teli community, categorised as an Other Backward Class, astutely remarked the same to cement bonding between the Sahu community here with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an initiative which the Prime Minister taken to affect for the first time as stalwarts state that the party doesn’t play caste card in politics.
The severity of the initiative which in-rooted deeply into the 27 per cent Sahu community in the State can be gauged from the reaction of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was fast to react on the Modi’s remark. Presently, till now there was a sense of uncertainty seems to be prevailing among the OBC Sahu voters, which way they would go this time, but after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sahu-Modi’ statement, the BJP is hoping to win back the OBC community, against Congress’s which is apprehensive in retaining the Sahu votes which had gone in its favour in recently held Assembly elections. Sahu community in Chhattisgarh has 50 lakh (approximately) strong population which amounts to 27 per cent of total population of this tribal dominated State. Given the fact that this community is known to have exercised its franchise on caste basis considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi being a ‘Teli’, as one of their own.
This sentiment worked fabulously in 2014 and in certain pockets this feeling is tellingly visible. Sahu community has domination in Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Balod, Durg, Bemetara, Raipur, Baloda Bazaar, Mungeli, Bilaspur, Rajnandgaon, and Kawardha having telling influence in Mahasamund, Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur and Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituencies. Even in Lok Sabha constituencies Janjgir, Korba and Raigarh, Sahu community has considerable presence. Prahlad Modi, younger brother of PM Modi, who frequents Chhattisgarh and holds regular meetings with Sahu community associations in Chhattisgarh. Although he says that he’s not into politics and visits Chhattisgarh to for works pertaining to his community, but if the huge crowds including BJP party workers in his meetings are any indications, it is definite that BJP is gaining from these meetings. Even if a senior Congress leader is to be believed, he is of the opinion that Sahu community is fast returning back to its original choice i.e., BJP and PM Modi is the convincing factor for the change.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has sensed the uneasiness among the Sahu voters towards voting in favour of non-Sahu candidate, devising a way out, the BJP is asking the Sahu voters whether they want to see a Teli MP or a Teli Prime Minister, which seems to be working in favour of BJP. Congress had been able to garner the support of this community in the Assembly elections by projecting Tamradhawaj Sahu could be next Chief Minister and to convince the community the Congress had even elevated Sahu to AICC Working Committee. However, as the elections were over, Sahu was smartly sidelined by the AICC and Bhupesh Baghel was made the Chief Minister. This didn’t went well with the community since they took it as deceit and opportunity robbed. Added to the fuel was denial of Ministerial birth to Abhanpur MLA Dhanendra Sahu, which also didn’t go well in the community.