So much so that the BJP and Muslim councillors have joined hands to form BJP-dominated boards in the municipalities in the region.

The Congress can take some heart in its improved tally in the elections as compared to the last time, as the semi-urban area are the traditional bastion of the BJP. But the Congress seems to have lost to the Saffron Party on wooing the Independents, who are the key to board formation. Interestingly, it was for the first time that the Congress experimented fighting the local civic elections on party mandate.

In Dahod district, the BJP managed to retain Jhalod, while it lost Devgadh Baria to the NCP. In Jhalod, the party wooed five of the eight Independents, including two Muslim councillors to form the board. Jebunnisa Dahya and Wahid Pathan in the tribal town of Jhalod opted to support the BJP with a tacit understanding for heading one of the crucial committees in the municipality.

In Kalol town, where the BJP faced a near rebellion, it managed to form the board again due to the crucial support of the Muslim councillors. Shakil Vagehla, a local community leader, will be the municipality vice president while a BJP backed Independent, Rajesh Joshi, will be the president.

The Muslim councillors would rather not dwell much on the 2002 riots, and say that having a truck with the ruling party helps them in solving many issues. “In local bodies, it is not so much about religion or political affiliations but about personal contacts and relations that matter,” says a BJP leader.

However, such an exercise in the local bodies in sharp contrast to the Assembly and the Lok Sabha polls is not new to the region. Godhra municipality had led the way with many a Muslim councillors supporting the party in the civic polls after the 2002 riots and the Assembly polls.

“It is a delicate act of arm twisting and nobody wants to invite trouble in daily business . An understanding is also reached over sharing power and spoils later,” says a Muslim councillor on the condition of anonymity.