The recent controversy surrounding Union minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Rajkot, Parshottam Rupala’s remarks, has shed light on the longstanding caste disparities between the Patels and the Kshatriya or Rajput community in Gujarat, highlighting how the latter felt side-lined amid the prevailing dominance of the Patidars.

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The remarks sparked significant uproar, prompting protests across various regions of the state. A meeting convened in Ahmedabad by as many as 90 groups from the Rajput community concluded that a mere apology would not suffice, seeking instead the withdrawal of Rupala’s candidature.

Even Rajput women, known for their adherence to customs including veils, joined street protests. Padminiba Vala, a prominent Rajput woman leader, commenced an indefinite fast on Wednesday at trust premises owned by the community. She asserted that Rajput women would go as far as resorting to ‘jauhar‘ (self-immolation) if the BJP fails to replace Rupala as the candidate for the upcoming polls.

Upon his return to Ahmedabad from Delhi for a cabinet meeting, Rupala promptly addressed reporters at the airport on Thursday morning, urging an end to the controversy surrounding his remarks against the Kshatriya community.

“All the communities, be it Patidars or Rajputs, are in my support. Many Kshatriya leaders have already extended their support to me. I don’t want to create a new controversy by taking their name,” he said.

He has apologised twice for his remarks and the state BJP chief C R Patil has also apologised on his behalf.

A BJP party leader, who asked not to be named, indicated that the party leadership is content with Rupala’s stance on the controversy and sees minimal chance of his candidacy being replaced. Furthermore, the leader mentioned plans for a demonstration of support, expected to gather around 500,000 supporters from diverse communities in Rajkot in the coming days. The Kadva and Leuva Patels, the two most dominant Patidar sub-castes, have united in support of Rupala, he added.

The BJP has been a dominant force in Gujarat for over the past three decades and the party won all 26 seats Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2014 and 2019. This time, the party has kept an ambitious target of winning each seat by a margin of at least 5 lakh votes.

Kshatriyas, including the Karnis, Jalawads and Jethwas, among others, are about 4-5% of the state’s population and they have supported the BJP for many years; Patidars constitute 12-14%% of the population and hold key political positions.

P T Jadeja, international president of the Akhil Gujarat Rajput Yuva Sangh, said that the Kshatriya or Rajput community will field several candidates from Rajkot to ensure Rupala’s defeat.

In the previous Vijay Rupani government, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, a Kshatriya leader, held a cabinet-level position, while Pradeepsinh Jadeja was appointed as the home affairs minister. However, in the Bhupendra Patel-led government, Kshatriya leaders were not allocated similar significant positions.

“There is a traditional caste divide in Saurashtra that is seen especially in and around Rajkot and Bhavnagar constituency where political rivalry between the Kshatriyas and Patidars is evident. The issue has caused a major embarrassment to the BJP as it has come during the Lok Sabha elections. The party may face some erosion of support, but the overall advantage will remain with BJP,” said Amit Dholakia, a political science professor at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

“The party will try and accommodate some Kshatriyas in some important positions in the government post-elections,” Dholakia said.

Like the Patidars, the Kshatriyas are also an influential community in Gujarat. However, this is for the first time in many decades that the community has raised their voice against the government. Also, it is rare in the state’s political landscape that one leader has faced such stiff opposition from a community.

In the Saurashtra region, Kshatriyas are predominantly associated with the upper caste, although in certain areas, some of their sub-castes are classified under the Other Backward Class category.

“In 1959, when the Swatantra Party emerged, Rajputs, who had relinquished their traditional authority, found a political platform to voice their concerns. In Gujarat, this is perhaps the first instance since then that the community is trying to rally together with a unified voice. While the Patidars have gradually integrated into the mainstream, the Rajputs have been somewhat overlooked by political parties, leaving them feeling marginalised in the political landscape,” said Gaurang Jani, a well-known sociologist.

“The BJP, historically reliant on the strong support of upper caste Hindus, now face the challenge of navigating caste contradictions in order to secure their continued backing,” Jani said.

In 2015, led by Hardik Patel, the Patidar community launched a significant agitation seeking reservations in jobs and education akin to the OBC category. This movement prompted the central government to introduce the EBC (Economically Backward Class) quota, addressing the demands of the upper caste population.

Despite internal protests by cadres leading to the replacement of two candidates in Sabarkantha and Vadodara, Gujarat BJP has remained firm in its decision not to replace Rupala as a candidate. One reason is that Rupala has been a powerful leader and replacing him would potentially cause discontent among the influential Patidar community voters.

“The Kshatriyas are seeking power, (and) seeing this Lok Sabha elections as one of their last opportunities. They may have a limited influence in Gujarat but they are a strong base in the Hindi belt. On one hand, the BJP aims to transcend caste barriers through the umbrella of Hindutva ideology, but on the other, it also seeks to revive traditional pride within various communities,” Jani said.

“From the Rath Yatra commencing at Somnath in 1990 to the recent construction of the Ram Temple, a crescendo has been reached. Remember, Ram was also a Kshatriya. The community feels it is high time they should get equal recognition at par with the Patidars,” added Jani.

Certain dissatisfied BJP leaders are reportedly supporting the Kshatriya agitation in Gujarat, driven by a sentiment that defectors from the Congress, who previously criticised the BJP leadership vehemently, now hold significant positions within the party.

Although BJP leaders seem confident that the current political crisis will not substantially impact their prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party will have to confront the reality of caste-based pride and politics, which is likely to persist in future.