Maharashtra elections 2024: It’s a close fight in Marathwada and Vidarbha

Of the eight seats, six are held by the ruling alliance, one is with the Shiv Sena (UBT), while the independent Amravati MP is now a BJP candidate

MUMBAI: On Friday, eight Lok Sabha constituencies from Marathwada and Vidarbha, crucial regions in the great electoral battle, will go to the polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Political leaders from all parties aver that the fight between the ruling and opposition alliances in these constituencies will be a close one, owing to various factors such as anti-incumbency, caste and agrarian issues.

College students encourage people to vote on the even of the second phase. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Of the eight seats, six are held by the ruling alliance, one is with the Shiv Sena (UBT), while the independent Amravati MP is now a BJP candidate from the constituency.

The BJP faces a high-octane battle in Amravati and Nanded, as the party’s candidates are on a sticky wicket despite pulling every conceivable string. The fight between sitting MP Navneet Rana against the Congress’s Balwant Wankhade witnessed high-voltage drama owing to local workers of all the ruling parties, including the BJP, opposing Rana’s candidature. Additionally, the Prahar Janashakti Paksha, despite being a partner of the Mahayuti, has voiced its protest against Rana by putting up its own candidate, Dinesh Bub, against her.

In Nanded, the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan, who is the election in-charge for party candidate Pratap Chikhalikar, has been facing much ire from the Maratha community. The BJP’s expectations of getting Congress voters to its fold after Chavan defected to it does not seem to be working, according to local party leaders.

“Although the Congress was left leaderless after Chavan’s exit, its cadre has charged up, and this was evident during the campaign rallies,” said a BJP leader in Nanded. “Marathas are protesting against Chavan for his defection and his alleged failure to accord reservation to Marathas while in power during the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government. Like Amravati, the Nanded seat too is a close contest. Our top leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and state leaders, had to campaign for these seats because of this.”

Parbhani and Hingoli are the other two Marathwada seats in the second phase that are pitted in a neck-and-neck competition. Parbhani is held by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav, who stands against the ruling party candidate, Rashtriya Samaj party chief Mahadev Jankar. Jankar is a Dhangar (shepherd) leader and expects OBC votes to go in his favour, while Jadhav is banking on Maratha, Dalit and Muslim votes. Muslim and Dalit votes are expected to play a decisive role in the constituency.

In adjoining Hingoli, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Nagesh Patil Ashtikar against Shiv Sena candidate Baburao Kadam Kohalikar. Owing to the last-minute change of candidate by the Shinde camp and resentment against the sitting MP, Ashtikar may have an edge in the battle.

In Vidarbha, the BJP and undivided Shiv Sena had won nine out of ten seats, and the ruling alliance hopes to repeat the performance. Apart from Amravati, the BJP is hoping to retain Wardha and Akola, where it has fielded sitting MP Sanjay Dhotre’s son, Anup, and renominated sitting MP Ramdas Tadas respectively. “We are counting on these two seats for a comfortable victory,” said a BJP leader.

The two other Vidarbha seats, Washim-Yavatmal and Buldhana, are again in a tough fight. In Washim-Yavatmal, the Shinde camp has fielded Rajshri Patil against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Patil. Although the constituency has a dominant OBC presence and Rajshri is an OBC face, she is seen as an outsider. She is the wife of sitting Hingoli MP Hemant Patil and a resident of Nanded.

In Buldhana, the anti-incumbency factor against sitting MP Prataprao Jadhav may play in favour of the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Narendra Khedekar.

Mumbai-based political analyst Hemant Desai opined that agrarian issues such as the fallen procurement prices of soyabean and cotton, and a drought-like situation in parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha would go against the ruling parties. The Congress and the BJP both have a significant base in Vidarbha, and the Congress will try to regain lost ground,” he said. “The question is whether it has been giving its 100%.”