The Year 2017 was full of political activities and witnessed the rise (or elevation) of many faces with the three coming from Gujarat only. Like the previous year, this year will also be politically sensitive as eight states will witness Assembly polls.
However, 2019 General Elections will have some X-factors, in addition to political parties, who will try to give tough fight to Narendra Modi led BJP government.
1) Hardik Patel
Quota spearhead Hardik Patel fully blossomed by the end of 2017. A political activist who participated and led the Patidar reservation agitation for the inclusion of the Patidar caste in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category in order to qualify for reserved quotas in education and government jobs, he played a somewhat important role in Gujarat Elections 2017 and helped Congress party in garnering seats in Saurashtra region of the state.
2) Jignesh Mevani
Jignesh Mevani is a social activist and lawyer, who has led a campaign by Dalits.
Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani won from Vadgam seat in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, defeating BJP's nominee Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes.
Mevani, who contested as an independent candidate with support of the Congress, polled 95,497 votes on the seat reserved for a Schedule Caste nominee. Chakravarti got 75,801 votes.
After emerging as the winner, Mevani thanked all non-governmental organisations and political parties which had helped him in campaigning.
The face of the Dalit agitation in Gujarat, in a message posted earlier on social media, had claimed that he decided to jump into the poll battle after being "persuaded" by youths and numerous agitators.
Mevani, who has been critical of the ruling BJP in the state, shot to fame after seven Dalit youths were flogged allegedly by self-styled cow vigilantes at Una last year.
3) Alpesh Thakor
Backward class leader Alpesh Thakor, who had joined the Congress just ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls, scored his maiden election victory from Radhanpur seat, defeating his closest BJP rival by 15,000 votes.
Alpesh Thakor, who had led an agitation against the BJP government over the issues concerning the OBCs under the banner of the Gujarat Kshatriya-Thakor Sena, defeated Lavingji Thakor.
Alpesh Thakor, who cornered crucial Thakor votes for the Congress, bagged 85,777 votes, while Lavingji Thakor's tally stood at 70,920 votes.
4) Kanhaiya Kumar
Kanhaiya Kumar, former President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union, is also a leader of the All India Students Federation (AISF), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI).
He, in February 2016, was arrested and charged with sedition by the Delhi police for allegedly raising anti-India slogans in a student rally which was called to protest the 2013 hanging of Mohammed Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri separatist convicted for the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Speaking at 'Yuva Hunkar Rally' recently, an All India Students Federation (AISF) activist, Kumar said, "There are so many BJP MPs in Lok Sabha with many cases against them. The BJP is not a party but a washing machine which cleanses criminal charges against its leaders."
5) Rahul Gandhi
Facing the uphill task of reviving a moribund party, Rahul Gandhi on December 16 took over as the Congress president.
The 47-year-old Gandhi family scion said he took over the party reins knowing that he would always be walking in the "shadow of giants".
He is also chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.
All these young "X-factors" are in their own way preparing their ground which they will use against NaMo.
However, how effectively, they will put the fight and how successful they will be...only the results of 2019 General Elections will tell. (With PTI inputs)
About the author: Author Anurag Kumar is an Associate Producer in ABP News Network Pvt Ltd and tweets at @AnuragSason
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.