This refers to the article, “When political aspiration takes the caste route” (November 1) by Kalyani Shankar. The writer has rightly maintained that a win-starved grand old party in Gujarat is again going to fall back on its KHAM (Kshatriyas, Harijans, Adivasis and Muslims) combo formula — the brainchild of former Gujarat Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki. On the other hand, president-designate Rahul Gandhi is raring to exploit his party's gains with the emergence of fiery trio of Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor, who represent the Patidar, Dalit and the OBC community respectively. Thakor and Mevani alone account for over 50 per cent of the total electorate, most of which comprise youths facing employment crunch. Demonetisation and GST blues have further alienated the BJP's monolithic vote-bank of traders and small businessmen. This poses a serious threat to the BJP’s electoral prospects in the State.
However, the Congress is heavily relying on its ability to convert the trio's crowd-pulling skill into votes with the Aam Aadmi Party standing by it. On the face of it, it is an uphill task for Rahul Gandhi to prevail upon the Dalits and the OBC — both pulling in just opposite directions for their respective political interests — to come together to support the Congress. Of course, fatalists will go in for propitious chances as well for Rahul Gandhi. let's wait and see what way this political cookie crumbles in Gujarat which is going to poll next month.