Vidarbha to be a deciding factor

 

 

The big day has arrived as Maharashtra will go to polls on Wednesday. Vidarbha region with 62 seats is going to be the deciding factor in the Assembly elections. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance aims to retain power while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance seeks a strong comeback. The alliance, which gets maximum share of these 62 seats, may form a Government in State. Vidarbha was once a stronghold of the Congress. Gradually, BJP created its place through various initiatives and in 1990s its performance started blooming. In 1995, BJP-Sena alliance came into power in Vidarbha. In 2014, 44 seats of BJP were elected and Devendra Fadnavis became the Chief Minister. In the next election, BJP could secure only 29 seats and failed to claim its stake.

 

There are some interesting fights on the card where big leaders are trying to retain their constituencies. Along with Devendra Fadnavis who is contesting from Nagpur South West, several political heavyweights are in the fray in different seats in Vidarbha, which is once again expected to play a key role in deciding who gets the control of Mumbai. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South West, State Congress President Nana Patole from Sakoli, State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule from Kamptee, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar from Brahmpuri, Sudhir Mungantiwar from Ballarshah, former minister and ex-state Congress President Manikrao Thakre from Digras are the candidates to be watched by everyone. The Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is trying to woo voters on the schemes like ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’. Surprisingly, MVA alliance, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (led by Sharad Pawar), got entangled in criticism of Mahayuti and its schemes.

 

People were eager to listen to MVA as to what new it would give if comes to power. But MVA disappointed them. Rahul Gandhi has brought Panchsutri which was meticulously attacked by Mahayuti. Mahayuti roped the formidable leaders from Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana states and exposed how Congress failed to fulfill the poll promises. Why Vidarbha plays key role despite the total seats are less than those in Western Maharashtra.The reason lies in two party-contest. In Vidarbha, Congress and BJP are the two major players as neither Shiv Sena nor NCP have ever tried to strengthen themselves in this part of Maharashtra. Obviously, of Congress and BJP those who could secure more seats got the power in State. This year also Congress is contesting 40 seats while BJP has fielded candidates in 47 constituencies of the 149 allotted to it in the state. Maha Vikas Aaghadi is going to Assembly polls with the confidence earned in Lok Sabha polls where it gave a major dent to BJP. BJP could win two constituencies (Nagpur and Akola) while Unlike in Lok Sabha, RSS is making it up with renewed vigour and its cadres are working in favour of Mahayuti candidates. This is a major thing for which the BJP should heave a sigh of relief.