ACCOMPANIED BY MUSCLEMEN, Kandhal Jadeja, 50, enters the Lord Krishna temple after removing his footwear and sits before a handful of people of Teri village of Kutiyana assembly constituency in Porbandar district. Kutiyana has more than two lakh voters. With his gold-rimmed glasses, silver bracelet and vermillion tika, Jadeja, clad in a light saffron kurta and white salwar, stands out.
“I have nothing to say. If you have any problems, let me know,” says Jadeja. An aide joins in, “Bhai has done your work and he is accessible. Look at him and his work. Vote for the cycle. Why taste a new cobra? He is better.”
Jadeja is the son of Santokben Jadeja, the mafia queen on whose life the Shabana Azmi-starrer Godmother (1999) was based. Jadeja, a two-time MLA, is contesting on a Samajwadi Party ticket as the NCP, on whose ticket he won last time, refused to field him. In the past, he has voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections and justified it, saying, “I want to get the work of my people done.”
Santokben, a former MLA from Kutiyana, died of heart attack in 2011. She had picked up arms following the murder of her gangster-husband Sarman Munja, who had a change of heart after meeting Dada Bhagwan (Pandurang Shastri Athavale) of Swadhyay Pariwar. The family, including Jadeja, has had several cases against them. Jadeja has also had a jail stint. It is because of gangster families like Jadeja’s that Porbandar, once famous as Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace, became infamous for its gang wars.
Jadeja is locked in a four-cornered contest, with Nathabhai Bhurabhai Odedara of the Congress, AAP’s Bhimabhai Makwana and Dheliben Maldebhai Odedara of the BJP. His main rival though is Dheliben, who, like Jadeja, is from the Mer community. The two are related, too―her father-in-law was Jadeja’s grand-uncle (grandmother’s brother). She was the municipality president for 27 years, and is fondly called fai (aunt). Her husband, too, allegedly has many cases against him.
While campaigning in Bhiladi village, Dheliben, 58, says, “Do not fear any one. Ensure the highest number of votes.” Dheliben, draped in a pure georgette white sari, says there has been no development in the region and that unlike Jadeja’s, her house is open to everyone. She recently moved into a three-storey bungalow. “Call me any time and I, and not my personal assistant, will pick up the phone,” she says.
Jadeja is unfazed by his opponent’s attack. “I concentrate only on my work,” he tells THE WEEK. “I do not speak ill of others, especially women.” He says that people vote him in because of his work. “In this fast-paced world, nobody will vote for you unless you work for them,” he says. His parents and uncle Bhura Munja, who had earlier contested and won from Kutiyana, inspire him, he adds.
While it is said that one would need the blessings of both the Jadejas and Odedaras to operate in the region, the two are also reportedly regarded as Robin Hoods.
“I cannot say who has an edge,” says villager Bhikha Dodiya, 56. “All I can say is that this time around the campaigning is more intense. Both candidates are bahubalis.”
In a region where people fear to spell out who could win, the AAP is trying to make inroads. “You never know what can happen,” says party worker Tejender Singh, who has been in Kutiyana for more than two weeks now. “Even in Punjab, there was fear and people voted for us.”