Shadow of atrocities on tribals may mar BJP’s hat-trick chances in Nandurbar

A Congress bastion since independence, leaders from the Gandhi family including Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi used to start their campaigns from Nandurbar. But in 2014, when BJP’s Heena Gavit won the seat, the BJP crossed the simple majority mark in Lok Sabha on its own for the first time, lending credence to Mahajan’s observation. In 2019 too, Gavit won from Nandurbar and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed the government at the Centre

Mumbai: The late BJP leader and key strategist of the party in Maharashtra Pramod Mahajan had once said, “The day we win tribal dominated Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency, BJP will form the government at the Centre on its own.”

Nandurbar [Maharashtra], May 11 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra being felicitated during the Nyay Sankalp Sabha, as Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole looks on, in Nandurbar on Saturday. (ANI Photo) (AICC)

A Congress bastion since independence, leaders from the Gandhi family including Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi used to start their campaigns from Nandurbar. But in 2014, when BJP’s Heena Gavit won the seat, the BJP crossed the simple majority mark in Lok Sabha on its own for the first time, lending credence to Mahajan’s observation. In 2019 too, Gavit won from Nandurbar and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed the government at the Centre.

Now a two-time MP, Gavit is up against the Congress’ Gowaal Padavi, a young advocate and son of former minister and Congress legislator KC Padavi. Unlike the last two elections, however, the BJP MP is facing strong anti-incumbency this time, with the Congress raising the issue of atrocities against tribals in Manipur and other parts of the country and the possibility of curtailment of reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Headstart for BJP

On paper, the BJP and the ruling Mahayuti have much more strength than the Congress in Nandurbar, which is reserved for STs. All six assembly segments in the constituency spanning Nandurbar and Dhule districts are also reserved for STs.

The BJP has three MLAs in the constituency while the independent MLA from Sakri is backed by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Both the BJP and Shiv Sena also have one member each in the legislative council. The Congress has only two MLAs in Akkalkuwa and Navapur.

Another factor in favor of Gavit is the formidable network of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its allied organisations like the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. “In the past 3-4 years, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has set up around eight farmers’ companies in Nandurbar with over 3,000 small farmers as members. These companies help them get good prices,” said an RSS functionary. The Sangh has also set up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, which help tribals get good prices for forest produce. “These have helped several thousand families improve their financial condition,” said the functionary.

Chaitram Pawar, a farmer from Nandurbar who is a member of Deshbandhu Farmers’ Producer Company, agreed. The company he is associated with works with farmers who grow Indrayani rice – a locally popular variety; they look after the distribution, which helps farmers get good prices, he said.

“The BJP and allied organisations have helped local people through various schemes, besides providing good roads. So even if there are some objections and complaints about the local MP, one cannot predict what will happen in the election,” said Pawar.

Cong banks on tribal pride

Despite the ruling coalition’s strength in Nandurbar, Congress candidate Gowaal Padavi has succeeded in mounting a challenge to Gavit, who is often accused of not mixing with people or being accessible to them.

Her father Vijay Kumar Gavit is a minister in the state cabinet, elder daughter Heena Gavit is an MP and younger daughter Supriya was formerly president of the Nandurbar zilla parishad. The concentration of power and posts with the family has upset many within the BJP and the Mahayuti, with former MLC and Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Raghuvanshi and his supporters staying away from her campaign.

The Congress has focussed on emotional issues like tribal pride in its campaign, bringing up atrocities on tribal women and violence against tribal groups in Manipur and the BJP leadership’s lack of action against perpetrators. It has also alleged that if BJP comes to power again, it would end reservations under the SC and ST quotas.

This has mounted pressure on the BJP, as was evidenced during prime minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Nandurbar on Friday, wherein he gave a guarantee that he would protect the ST quota. Modi also tried to woo the tribal community by saying he worships Shabari, a tribal woman devotee of Rama in the Ramayana.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too addressed a rally at Nandurbar on Saturday afternoon. In her speech, she slammed the Modi and the BJP government for being silent on the atrocities against tribal women in Manipur and other parts of the country.

“PM Modi now wants your votes so he’s saying he respects and worships Shabari mata. But why was he silent when hundreds of tribal women in Manipur and other parts of India were facing atrocities and homes of tribals were burnt in Manipur? Why did the BJP not take any action when a BJP leader in madhya Pradesh urinated on a tribal man,” she asked, urging tribals to vote with an eye on protecting their future generations.