Gujarat Assembly election: Rajkot West, PM Modi's first election turf in limelight

However, if the mood of the people changes amid the opposition Congress raising the issues of inflation, education, infrastructure, and connectivity, the picture can be quite the opposite on this seat.

Rajkot: Ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5, the Rajkot West seat from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested for the first time is the center of discussion. The BJP has fielded Dr Darshita Shah, who has earlier served as mayor, from the seat while Congress has given ticket to Mansuk Kalaria in a bid to win over the Patidar vote bank.

Going by the electoral history of the seat, the voters have played a key role in re-electing the incumbent party back to the seat of power irrespective of caste, creed and religion which can be an advantage to BJP. However, if the mood of the people changes amid the opposition Congress raising the issues of inflation, education, infrastructure, and connectivity, the picture can be quite the opposite on this seat.

Arvind Maniyar, the late Chiman Shukla, followed by Vajubhai Vala, Vijay Rupani are among the leaders getting the highest number of votes from the seat. It is from Rajkot Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered electoral politics.

At that time Vajubhai had vacated his seat, enabling Modi to contest from the seat and reach the Legislative Assembly for the first time. It will be worth seeing if the BJP retains power in Rajkot West currently held by former Chief Minister Viajy Rupani or the Congress wrests the seat from the ruling party.