Outsider's fear factor on Wadi seat

VADODARA: With the Wadi assembly seat in the city becoming reserved for the scheduled castes (SC) after delimitation, the fear of the unknown has gripped many in the BJP. Besides suspense over who would get the party ticket, many fear that an outsider may be accommodated on the seat as it is considered safe.
Against three seats till 2007 assembly polls, Vadodara now has five with Wadi being one of them.A better portion and electorate on the seat is from the seat that was held by former state minister and BJP MLA Bhupendra Lakhawala. After delimitation, Lakhawala is now eyeing a ticket from the neighbouring Raopura seat. At the other end, hectic political activity is being witnessed with Lakhawala now out of the equation. Scheduled caste leaders from the city are seeing a chance for themselves as earlier none of the three seats were reserved.
From the leaders in the city, BJP state SC Morcha president Jivraj Chauhan and former Vadodara mayor Sunil Solanki have emerged as the frontrunners for the seat even as councillor Lalit Raj is also eyeing a ticket. Despite these names making rounds, most seem to be afraid of a possibility of an outsider being given the ticket.
That is what happened at Karjan in 2002 and Chauhan had to bow out in favour of Naresh Kanodiya. Kanodiya won the polls and was the obvious choice for the 2007 polls, but lost with a narrow margin. Many fear that something similar may happen this time around. "The state leadership always keeps such seats in mind for senior leaders. If a decision on these lines is taken, local candidates will make way and there should not be any major issue," said a senior leader.
However, SC leaders in the city pointed out that there were few chances of someone from outside the city being given a ticket. "They are comfortable with the constituencies they hold. Among the names of such leaders
Fakirbhai Waghela, Ramanlal Vora and Shambhunath Maharaj are strong in their respective constituencies. Naresh Kanodiya is also eyeing a ticket in Ahmedabad. Given this situation, a local person is likely to get a nod," said a leader.