Jignesh Mevani rose to fame, organizing several protests in the aftermath of reports of atrocities against Dalits in Una district of Gujarat. File photoThe high-profile electoral battle in Gujarat, after a heated campaign that saw the rival parties giving a try at everything in their kitty, has come to an end with a verdict that gives both the incumbent BJP and the opposition Congress much room for interpretations in their favor.
The BJP will retain power in the home turf of prime minister Narendra Modi while the Congress can claim of putting up a good show that resulted in a considerable increase in their seats and vote share.
Amid all the drama of realpolitik, one thing stands out – the emphatic victory of Jignesh Mevani, the young lawyer who has emerged as the face of Dalit rights in the country.
Mevani won from Vadgam seat in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, defeating BJP's nominee Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes. Though he contested as an independent, in a positive development, the 35-year-old lawyer was supported by the Congress and the Aam Admi Party. Mevani polled 95,497 votes on the seat reserved for a Schedule Caste nominee. Chakravarti got 75,801 votes.
Mevani rose to fame, organizing several protests in the aftermath of reports of atrocities against Dalits in Una district of Gujarat. The march named 'Azadi Kooch,' demanding land for his community, made him a prominent voice of Dalit rights. In the process, he also emerged a vocal critic of Hindutva and thus prime minister Narendra Modi.
Mevani's entry to the Gujarat assembly validates the cause that he stands for and gives a moral boost to all the movements for the uplift of the Dalit communities; that too amid an atmosphere of religious and casteist intolerance.
His feat must be viewed as a perfect example of the Ambedkarite movement's interventions in parliamentary politics which is the only way for the Dalit communities to bring some positive changes to their life, provided the complex socio-political system of the country.
The Constitution ensures representation of the downtrodden communities in legislature with the provision of reservation. However, the mode of electoral politics in the country, dominated by partisan politics, has often ended up in electing leaders with no real voice from such constituencies.
The victory of a leader like Mevani marks a huge difference from this trend as he is learned, articulate and pragmatic as is evident from the way he organized and mobilized his community members in a short span of time. Had he been part of a ruling front, he could have been an influential decision-maker. It is yet to be seen how the Congress, the principal opposition party under a perceived charged leadership of Rahul Gandhi, is going to perform in the Gujarat Assembly, where the BJP is set to form its sixth government. It is sure that Mevani's voice will be heard loud in the House.
Read more: Assembly polls in-depth | Gujarat: Good fortunes for forecasters
