Gujarat elections 2017: BJP’s star punch in Dalit constituency in Sabarkantha

"Lankesh lives 5 kms from here," prompt comes the reply from Atul Bhai when asked about the residence of Arvind Trivedi, the actor who had played the famed role of 'Ravan" in Ramanand Sagar's magnum opera "Ramayana".

At a time when political discourse in Gujarat gets frequent mention of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the man who played Ravan is very popular in Idar. Trivedi frequently organises the scriptural reading of "Sundar Kaand" of Ramayana. This is perhaps the first election in which he is not campaigning anywhere owing to health reasons.

Punching with star power its election exercise in Idar, BJP has fielded noted actor Hiteshbhai Kanodia, son of Gujarati film legend Nareshbhai Kanodia from the reserved constituency of Idar in Sabarkantha. Hitesh, a popular youth icon in Gujrat film industry has featured in BJP's Hu chhu Vikas, hu chhu Gujarat' (I am Vikas, I am Gujarat) campaign to counter Congress'Vikas gando thayo chhe' (development has gone crazy) campaign.

Congress candidate Manilal Vaghela could find the going tough in this saffron party stronghold where BJP's Raman Lal Vora has been winning the seat since 1995. Vora, Gujarat Assembly Speaker and BJP's Dalilt face in the state has been shifted to Dasada Assembly seat. Since he has represented the Idar seat for over two decades, Vora is also being involved in campaigning in Idar.

74-year-old Naresh Kanodia, who is camping in Idar to campaign for his son, says that theirs is not only a film family but also political family, which has been connected with masses.

Hitesh used to play his child roles in Gujarati films. The father is now playing his role not only in reel but also real life.

"Vora ji has done so much work in this constituency that no body can defeat the BJP here. BJP has fielded our family for the tenth time. My son is a superstar in Gujarati films and a serious candidate here," he says drawing parallel from the success that NT Rama Rao had got in Tamil Nadu Politics.

Naresh Kanodia also took part in BJP's Gujarat's Gaurav Yatra in central Guajrat and campaigned in Kheda, Anand, Panchmahal and Dasad.

The Idar candidate Hitesh alias Hitubhai has acted in over 100 films and earlier used to play child roles in the movies in which his father was the protagonist. Hitesh had contested the 2012 assembly polls from Kadi seat but lost by less than 1,200 votes. He had got over 83 thousand votes then. In 2007, his father Naresh Bhai Kanodi had lost the Karjan seat in Baroda by a little over 2,000 votes after winning the seat once in 2002.

Naresh Bhai's brother Mahesh Kumar Kanodia had been a four term four-term Lok Sabha MP from Patan Parliamentary seat in North Gujarat in 1991, 1996, 1998 and 2004. He is a well-known singer, who could sing in 32 voices along with Naresh Kanodia.

Since 1962, Congress has won the Idar assembly seat only thrice out of the 12 polls, the last being in 1980. Congress is this time riding on Patel anger and banking on Hardik Patel's reach among Patidats, Alpesh Thakore's among OBC and Jingesh Mewani's following among dalits to wrest this seat from BJP after close to four decades.

The seat was with Janata Dal, when Vora wrested it for BJP in 1995. Congress candidate Manilal Vahgela had contested the seat in 2007 polls as well but lost to Vora of over 21 thousand votes.

In 2012, Congress fielded Ramabhai Solanki but Vora again won the seat, albeit with a reduced margin of over 11 thousand votes., though even this time Vohra increased his votes as in every elections. The contest is all the more bi-polar this time.

Sajan Ben Shyamal, the care taker of his house belongs to Thakor (OBC) community. There is a glint in her eyes when asked about Alpesh Thakor, the young OBC leader of the community. A resident of Sardarpura village, she says that most of her community men either work as labours in field of Padtiars or work as housemaids. She says that people of her community of are thinking of voting for Congress now.

In Sudatpura village, where a dozen residents are RSS pracharaks, Kamlesh Patel, whose house is in front of Swaminarayan Temple says that he has been voting for the BJP for generations and will do so. "Yes we want anamat. But I did not go to see Hardik Patel when he visited the Town Hall here because he had joined Congress. We had been voting for BJP for generations," he sums up.

Yash Patel, who will turn a voter in 2019, says earlier 80 percent of Patidars votes went to BJP, which could be fifty fifty this time.

Since the area has also good number of Patidars, BJP has roped in prominent Patel leader Parshottam Rupala to campaign in Idar on November 11, three days before polling on November 14.

Idar, is a manufacturing hub for handmade wooden toys, tiles and is dotted with several architectural monuments.

Arvind Trivedi and his brother Upendra Trivedi, a prolific Gujarati cinema actor, who belong to village Kakadia near Idar town brought the area in limelight. Upendra breathed his last in 2015.

Arvind who shot into international fame with his 'Ravan" role had campaigned for BJP in many past elections but of late not keeping well. He left for Mumbai only last week.

Trivedi,'s residence "Annapuprna" on Idar Ambaji road is a visual treat and kind of a milestone.

An ardent devotee of Lord Rama, the 'chaupai (four-line verses) of Ramayana are written across the boundary wall of his residence besides a temple of Lord Shiva called "Lankeshwar Mahadev" at his residence.