Maharashtra: It’s mission Vidarbha for Shiv Sena and NCP

From visits to promises, the two parties are trying hard to woo the stronghold of the BJP and Congress

Considered a stronghold of national parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, Vidarbha is likely to witness a political battle soon, as the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) look to expand their base in the region that sees 62 MLAs and 10 MPs.

Uddhav Thackeray and Jayant Patil. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Traditionally, the Congress and BJP have held sway over Vidarbha. The national parties kept a chunk of the seats in the alliance during the elections, stunting the growth of regional parties. Once a citadel of the Congress, the BJP, however, made significant gains in the vast region— spread over two revenue divisions of Nagpur and Amravati and 11 districts– over two decades. It swept the region in the 2014 Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, in the 2019 Assembly election, the BJP’s numbers came down to 29 from 44.

The Congress-NCP together got 21 seats, a gain of 10 seats. The NCP alone increased its tally from one to six. With the altering political dynamic in the face of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi—alliance of the Sena, NCP and Congress—the region has been has become a point of focus for two regional parties.

Sena attack

In the past two months, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has made visits to the region, while NCP state president Jayant Patil, too, has toured Vidarbha.

The Shiv Sena is focused on gaining foothold in western Vidarbha, covering districts of Nagpur, Yavatmal, Amravati, Wardha, Washim and Akola. A Shiv Sena functionary from Vidarbha said the party’s target is to win at least 15 of the 30 Assembly seats in western Vidarbha.

Arvind Nerkar, Vidarbha’s sampark pramukh for Sena in western Vidarbha, said the Sena has admitted that it ignored the region in the alliance. “In the 2019 election, the Shiv Sena got only 12 seats, that too the ones we didn’t want. The BJP tried to defeat us in these seats, as it did not want us to grow,” Nerkar said.

He added the Sena’s performance in the gram panchayat elections in the region has given a boost to the organisation. “Of the 2,450-odd gram panchayats, we have won 700-750. We will have our sarpanch in another 200 gram panchayats too. This is the best performance of the party in these village elections,” Nerkar said.

The Shiv Sena’s attention to Vidarbha also comes as a reaction to the BJP’s thrust on the coastal Konkan region, which is seen as the Shiv Sena’s stronghold.

Last week, senior BJP leader and Union home minister Amit Shah visited Sindhudurg in Konkan and also addressed a public meeting organised by ex-chief minister Narayan Rane, a former Shiv Sena leader. So far, the BJP was limited to a few pockets, but as the Sena is not its ally, the party is eyeing the coastal area, even as Sena is wooing it with a slew of projects, including boost to tourism, pushing industry, and improving road connectivity. Even before the 2019 elections, it inducted Rane into its fold. Despite the Sena’s objections, the party fielded Rane’s son Nitesh in Assembly elections.

NCP’s strategy

Two weeks ago, Patil started touring Vidarbha and Khandesh or north Maharashtra. The NCP is eyeing growing in eastern Vidarbha districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia, covering 15 Assembly constituencies.

“We have had MLAs from Gadchiroli, Bhandara Gondia, Wardha, Buldhana and Nagpur. But in an alliance with the Congress, we got fewer seats. The party has enough organisational presence in the region. All political parties have the right to strengthen their bases. The Shiv Sena is also doing so. Wherever the party is weak, the organisation is working towards strengthening it,” NCP minister and spokesperson Nawab Malik said. He said the party will see inflow of former MPs and MLAs in the coming days. Former Congress leader Abha Pande from Nagpur is expected to join the NCP soon.

Region watch

The once-simmering Vidarbha statehood movement appears to have lost steam as all major political parties have sidestepped the issue, leaving only a bunch of small local parties to adopt the cause.

The Shiv Sena and NCP have been against the division of the state, the Congress on the fence, while the BJP, which campaigned for statehood for the region in 2013-14, too, has kept it on the backburner.

Dr Srinivas Khandewale, economist and political analyst from Nagpur, said, “The 2019 election has showed the BJP’s presence has weakened in the region. Devendra Fadnavis’s winning margin reduced in 2019 [compared to 2014]. The Congress’s leadership in the region is zero. [Former Maharashtra Congress chief] Balasaheb Thorat never visited Nagpur. We need to see what Patole does.”

“The region has been neglected by those in power for over 60 years. The youth are tired of their false promises. The Congress base went to the BJP over the past two decades. After becoming the CM why would Devendra Fadnavis speak of a separate small state? The BJP’s base too is shaky now,” said Khandewale, who is also the core committee member of the Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti.

BJP, Cong speak

Former state minister and state BJP president Sudhir Mungantiwar said regional parties are unlikely to become major players in Vidarbha.

“They are unlikely to get electoral success, as their actions have not matched their ambition. The region has been neglected. The BJP lost some seats in 2019, most of which went to the Congress. Both the parties (Sena and NCP) can try expanding, there is no harm in dreaming,” said Mungantiwar, who represents Ballarpur assembly seat from Vidarbha’s Chandrapur district.

Newly elected Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the MVA allies are united. “The Congress has traditionally held sway in Vidarbha region. If not BJP, the alternative for the people is going to be the Congress [in Vidarbha]. The Congress has gained seats in 2019 elections here,” Patole, who represents Sakoli Assembly seat from Vidarbha’s Bhandara district, said.