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Maha polls: Rohit Pawar aims win big in Karjat-Jamkhed constituency
It’s almost noon and the October sun is relentless, but that has not deterred villagers from attending a rally to listen to Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Chhagan
It’s almost noon and the October sun is relentless, but that has not deterred villagers from attending a rally to listen to Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Chhagan Bhujbal and party candidate Rohit Pawar from the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Nanaj, 328km from Mumbai.
Bhujbal, NCP’s Other Backward Class (OBC) face, is the guest speaker at the rally, where the gathering comprises largely OBCs voters of Mali and Dhangar castes. “Don’t waste this opportunity of voting for someone who can really develop your constituency. Don’t fall for the campaign that he is an outsider or not from your caste. What has your MLA done for OBCs,” asks Bhujbal.
The crowd doesn’t need much convincing, many seem to be Pawar converts already.
Pawar, the grandnephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and a Maratha, is locked in a close contest in Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar district against BJP’s sitting MLA and minister Ram Shinde.
Unlike other political dynasts, who have soft launches in safe constituencies, Pawar has taken on a gamble by challenging Shinde, a Dhangar, in a BJP bastion.
For the past 25 years, Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar district, with its umbilical cord tied to the neighbouring Beed district, home turf of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, has been a BJP stronghold. The party’s social engineering of bringing the three dominant OBC castes – Malis, Dhangars and Vanjaris – together has helped it retain the seat so far.
But going by just the buzz Pawar has created among villagers, it’s a gamble that may pay off for the NCP. This is one constituency where the Opposition has managed to put the government on the mat over development. “If Rohit dada loses from here, you should know that the EVMs are definitely faulty. More than the NCP, we trust that he can bring development to our talukas. This government has been anti-farmer. We haven’t got market prices for our produce and our children haven’t got jobs,” said Shivaji Sudareek from Kopardi village. Several others across villages in Karjat taluka seem to have pinned their hopes on Pawar.
The goodwill for the GenNext Pawar is because of his exhaustive ‘jan sampark’ in the past six months and social work, which included providing water tankers during drought, laptops to schools and holding workshops for the unemployed.
“He provided nearly 200 tankers in this area during drought. The government water we got was unpotable. Someone from his team or his family has been in touch with the village for the past six months. He has promised to work for education, jobs and the water sector in the area. We believe he can do it,” said Laxman Jagtap from Nanaj, a retired government official.
Pawar believes that if he can pull off this win, no one can accuse him of being a ‘dynast’ or having it easy. “I like challenges, but the main reason I chose this constituency is because of the development work I can do here. I can transform this constituency that has seen no development despite having a minister as its MLA,” said Pawar. “I am fighting this election only on the development plank. Why should I get into caste politics and polarise people for my electoral debut?”
Political analysts, however, believe that caste factor will play a big role in this contest. “You can’t do away with caste in this poll fight. Both Shinde and Pawar have their core community support. Caste consolidation among Marathas will help Pawar. Shinde also has anti-incumbency against him, while Pawar has managed to build a positive image through groundwork, so the fight will be close and it appears that the NCP has the upper hand,” said a senior Nashik-based journalist. Shinde is combating the challenge thrown by Pawar by targeting the latter as an outsider. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has already put his weight behind Shinde and held two rallies here. His comment that locals should send “Rohit babu’s parcel” back to Baramati became popular with the Shinde supporters. Fadnavis also pitched Shinde as a self-made leader as opposed to a dynast like Pawar and even indicated that Shinde would be made a minister again if he got voted in with a big margin. “I have done development work worth crores in this constituency. It is just that I haven’t taken credit for it. There is no anti-incumbency against me. Rohit Pawar’s campaign is more of event management than anything else,” said Shinde. The minister has promised to build a textile factory, an industrial enclave and a sugar factory in his next term. Some of Shinde’s supporters like Tatya Suryavanshi of Rahuri village pointed out that people were getting carried away with Pawar, although admitted that the former had made a mistake by not keeping in touch with his people.
