It’s BJP vs Congress in tribal-dominated Dahod in Gujarat

Dahod, April 21 (IANS) Dahod, a key Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, remains a significant battleground for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. 

BJP candidate Jasvantsinh Bhabhor, a sitting MP, born into a tribal family in 1966 in the village of Dasa, has a diverse career spanning agriculture, education, and social work. He first entered politics in 1995, being elected to the Gujarat legislative assembly, and has since served in various capacities, including Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs. This constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

He served as a Member of Parliament for Dahod in both the 16th (2014) and 17th Lok Sabha (2019). During his tenure in the Gujarat legislative assembly, Bhabhor held various key positions. He served as Deputy Minister for Food and Civil Supplies from 1999 to 2001 and as Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare from 2001 to 2002. He was also appointed chairman of the Gujarat State Tribal Development Corporation in 1998.

His subsequent terms saw him handling portfolios for Forests and Environment, and later Tribal Development, Rural Development, Labour and Employment, as well as Panchayat and Rural Housing, showing a consistent dedication to tribal and rural affairs.

Beyond his ministerial roles, Bhabhor played a vital role as Guardian Minister for Sabarkantha and Dang districts between 2007 and 2010, and for Narmada district from 2010 until his election to the parliament in 2014.

On the other side, Dr Prabha Kishor Taviad, representing Congress, hails from the village of Dhandhasan in Sabarkantha district. A qualified medical practitioner, Taviad served as an MP in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), following Babubhai Khimabhai Katara of BJP, illustrating the see-saw battle between the two major parties in this tribal-reserved constituency.

The constituency, formed in 1997 from the division of Panchmahal district, includes six Assembly segments and boasts a population exceeding 21 lakh as per the 2011 census. With a sex ratio of 990 females for every 1,000 males and a literacy rate of 58.82 per cent, Dahod is also known for its scenic spots like Chab Lake, Bawka Shiv Temple, and historical attractions including the Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary and the fort of Gadi.

The political journey of Dahod began in 1962, with Hirabhai Kunverbhai of the Swatantra Party clinching the first election. Since 1967, the constituency has been reserved for Scheduled Tribes, seeing various shifts in party control. From 1984 to 1998, the Congress dominated the polls, but in 1999, the BJP made its mark when Babubhai Khimabhai Katara defeated the Congress candidate.

This seat has experienced notable political personalities, including Dr Prabha Kishor of Congress, the first female MP in 2009, and more recently, Jasvantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor of BJP, who has held the seat since 2014.

In the last electoral bout in 2019, BJP's Jasvantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor retained his position by securing 5,61,760 votes, while Babubhai Khimabhai Katara of Congress trailed with 434,164 votes. NOTA, remarkably, came third with 31,936 votes. The 2014 election saw a similar trend, with Bhabhor receiving 56.8 per cent of the vote against the Congress candidate’s 31.2 per cent.