Assembly Elections Locked and loaded: Rebels set to change the game

 

 

While 72 candidates, including independents and rebels from Maha Yuti, as well as some affiliated with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), withdrew their nomination papers on Monday in 12 Assembly constituencies in Nagpur city and district, the MVA failed to persuade its rebels. As a result, the MVA coalition is facing major challenges, as Congress rebels are posing danger of denting the prospects of the MVA’s official candidates in five Legislative Assembly constituencies. In contrast, MahaYuti appears to have successfully quelled a potential rebellion and persuaded dissenting members to withdraw their nominations on Monday. MVA continues to grapple with discontent among its ranks. Notably, six rebel candidates from the Congress party in Nagpur East, Nagpur West, Ramtek, Katol and Saoner are actively campaigning and it poses a major headache for MVA. With 12 seats in the Nagpur city and district, the outcome of this rebellion could change results of the election and it also highlights the ongoing tensions within MVA partners.

 

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule convinced the rebels of MahaYuti to withdraw their nomination papers. While having talks with the rebels, they managed to withdraw nomination papers of Shiv Sena (Shinde) group’s Raju Parwe, former MLA from Umred. With this, BJP candidate Sudhir Parwe will strengthen his position in Umred. In Ramtek constituency, the MahaYuti leaders managed to withdraw nomination papers of Shiv Sena (Shinde) group’s Naresh Dhopte, who holds considerable influence within Teli community and BJP District Vice-President Dr Rajesh Thakre. After withdrawal of these candidates, Shiv Sena (Shinde) group’s candidate Adv Ashish Jaiswal positioned himself against opponents. In the same constituency, Congress failed to manage its rebel former minister Rajendra Mulak. Mulak was trying hard to get the ticket from Congress party but in seat-sharing formula, the constituency got allotted to Shiv Sena (UBT) and it declared Vishal Barbate as its candidate. Despite having two meetings with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, the talks failed and Mulak filed nomination papers with huge public support and the blessing of senior Congress leaders from the district.

 

At this seat, the senior Congress leaders have not shown any efforts to force Mulak to withdraw his candidacy and he has continued the campaign with local Congress leaders. At East Nagpur, dissent among the Congress leaders was high since the seat was allotted to the NCP (SP) and Duneshwar Pethe was declared as the candidate. Congress leader Purushottam Hajare, who fought the election from the seat in 2019, again in the fray as an independent candidate. The MVA leaders failed to convince Hajare to withdraw his candidature which weakened Duneshwar Pethe’s prospects in the election. In West Nagpur, Congress expelled leader Narendra Jichkar is fiercely campaigning with his supporters and likely to dent Congress candidate Vikas Thakre. Most of the supporters of Jichkar are from the Congress party. At Saoner, Congress candidate and former Minister Sunil Kedar’s wife Anuja Kedar is facing a challenge of rebels where Amol Deshmukh and Congress party and Amol Jiwtode and Shiv Sena (UBT) are in the fray as independent candidates. At Katol, NCP (SP) Candidate Salil Deshmukh is facing a challenge from Congress’ rebels Yajnavalkya Shrikant Jichkar who is also fiercely campaigning with his local supporters. The MVA’s internal strife and MahaYuti’s unity will be crucial in determining the outcome soon.