Ahmedabad: Barely half a kilometre from where the Prime Minister had spent his childhood in Vadnagar, a petty shopkeeper responded to a question about Narendra Modi's performance.

"Hardik is a hero," he said, referring to the Patidar leader who has been spearheading the Patel agitation for quotas.

The question was repeated: "How has Modi done as a Prime Minister?"

"Where was he when police tortured Patidars?" came the reply. "Modi didn't even take action against those responsible. Hardik Patel is fighting for our rights, he created social awareness. Narayan Kaka got a lead of 25,000 from Vadnagar last time. We will teach him a lesson this time."

Vadnagar is part of the Unjha Assembly seat the BJP's Narayanbhai Patel has won five consecutive times since 1995.

As the young Yash Patel gave vent to his feelings, his father Mahesh Patel smiled in agreement.

"But aren't you proud of Modi, a native of Vadnagar, who has become globally known?" Yash was asked.

His father intervened, saying: "This election is not about Modi. The minions Modi created are worthless and there will be a change now."

While the BJP may not get much from North Gujarat, which comprises Sabarkantha, Patan, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar, in the second and final phase of the Gujarat vote on Thursday, its hopes rest largely on Central Gujarat where Ahmedabad and Vadodara are still under the Modi spell.

But other districts of Central Gujarat, like Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Mahisagar and Chhota Udaipur, will see a bitter fight for every seat.

In Ahmedabad, where the BJP won 17 out of 21 seats in 2012,the Congress has a faint hope of wresting a few more this time.

While the Hindu areas are predominantly pro-BJP, voters in Muslim areas are articulating their concerns about rising prices of LPG cylinders and vegetables, apart from the clear discrimination in terms of development.

There is, however, no mention of ideological or communal issues.

In the biggest Muslim locality, Juhapura, Congress leader and sarpanch Asif Khan Jolly told The Telegraph: "For a population of seven lakh, there is no government hospital, only two schools and no pipeline for water. There is not a single public toilet. For 20 years we have been demanding a foot over-bridge as children regularly die in crossing the highway to reach school. This small demand has not been met in this developed state."

Samima Pathan, a middle-aged woman, said: "We really feel bad as the entire Ahmedabad is so developed and beautiful. We are making Smart Cities but no concern for us."

Suhana Khan, the local councillor, echoed the sentiment. "This area is notorious as a Muslim ghetto and lacks basic amenities. But the change will come because people are angry over prices of gas cylinders, onions and the cost of education," Khan said.

The mood dramatically changes in other areas where Modi is hailed for enhancing India's prestige, 24-hour electricity and the beautiful Sabarmati riverfront. Even anger against Modi didn't appear to be helping the Congress.

"Modi does only marketing and hasn't fulfilled promises. But Rahul Gandhi is a fool," Dipal Mehta, a young professional, said. "He can't run even a shop, how can we let him run the country? Modi is at least a strongman who can control everybody."

In rural areas again the narrative is different. Almost everybody conceded the Congress was fighting seriously this time and predicting the outcome was difficult. Farmers resented inadequate prices for cotton and peanut.

In Kheda, Monty Patel, a Patidar who isn't enamoured of Hardik, said: "Most BJP leaders won because of Modi's charisma. They never come back after victory. The ground situation is very bad. There is no doctor in the civic hospital; even for X-rays, we have to go to Nadiad. Schools have buildings, no teachers. No jobs for youths. For how long will people vote for nationalism?"

In Godhra, most voters said there was unusual " rassa-kassi" (tussle) this time because the Congress was fighting unlike in the past.

"The BJP fools people with hollow slogans and false promises," said Rajesh Panchal, an advocate. "People struggling for drinking water on a daily basis have to suffer Modi's lecture on Narmada on television and the Gaurav yatra on the streets."

In Panchmahal's Kalol seat, Congress workers had a unique complaint: "The BJP Lok Sabha MP, Prabhatsinh Chouhan, controls the illicit liquor trade here. They are distributing bottles in villages while we are not getting any stuff despite payment. It is very difficult to compete with them."

Vijay Wankar, a Dalit, intervened. "I just bought breakfast for Congress workers. People are working for change this time."