Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha Elections: Will ‘Praful Patel Factor’ Help BJP in this Maharashtra Constituency? – News18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 10 visited two crucial Lok Sabha constituencies spread across the districts of Bhandara, Gondiya and the town of Ramtek as part of his high-profile campaign. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is directly on the ballot in Bhandara-Gondiya, it has left the Ramtek LS to alliance partner Shiv Sena (Shinde). However, being so close to Nagpur, these areas in Vidarbha are crucial for the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) larger plan to sweep Maharashtra. The constituency will vote in phase one on April 19.

Bhandara-Gondiya is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra. Three of its assembly segments are in Bhandara district, while other three in Gondiya district. Its six assembly segments are: Tumsar (NCP), Bhandara (Independent), Sakoli (INC), Arjuni-Morgaon (NCP), Tirora (BJP) and Gondiya (BJP). It will vote in phase one on April 19.

Current MP: Sunil Baburao Mendhe (BJP)

Candidates: Sunil Baburao Mendhe (BJP), Prashant Yadavrao Padole (INC), Sanjay Gajanan Kewat (VBA)

POLITICAL DYNAMICS

BJP Eyes Repeat Victory: The BJP’s candidate for Bhandara-Gondiya is a shark of sorts, owing to the margin of his victory in the 2019 polls. In 2019, Sunil Baburao Mendhe secured over 6.50 lakh votes, compared to chief rival Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Nana Panchbudhe who bagged 4.52 lakh votes. In terms of vote share, the BJP emerged at the top with over 52% votes, while the NCP could amass just about 36% of the votes.

This time, the BJP considers the fight in Bhandara-Gondiya to be comparatively easier. With the Shiv Sena and NCP divided and a Congress candidate being fielded, the saffron party has the “strike rate” advantage in the constituency. Both in 2014 and 2019, the BJP’s strike rate against the Congress in head-to-head fights had been very high.

Over the years, the Bhandara-Gondiya seat has elected stalwarts like ex-Union Minister Praful Patel, who is now part of Mahayuti, thrice on a Congress ticket, besides the present Maharashtra Congress President, Nana Patole, who had won on a BJP ticket in 2014.

Praful Patel: The BJP currently has the added advantage of having Praful Patel in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Bhandara-Gondiya is a stronghold of the NCP leader who jumped ship to the NDA along with Eknath Shinde’s faction last year. While it was expected that Praful Patel would push his own name for representing the constituency in Lok Sabha, he instead chose to become a member of the Rajya Sabha. Effectively, this cleared the decks for the BJP to not just exert their right on Bhandara-Gondiya, but also win it again.

Although the winds may be blowing in the BJP’s favour, ground inputs suggest the saffron party had been actively scouting for a new face to project from the constituency. Among the names that did the rounds was Parinay Phuke, a close confidant of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, it seems Praful Patel agreed to back the name of incumbent MP Sunil Mendhe, which is why the party repeated him.

Mendhe Unpopular: The party was not looking for other possible candidates without good reason. Complaints against Mendhe are many. For starters, he is seen as more of a Gondiya leader who has neglected Bhandara over the past five years.

Voters also complain about inaccessibility and their MP not being visible on ground. While Mendhe did not take the initiative of maintaining contact with his electorate at the grassroots level for most part of his tenure as MP, he suddenly reappeared as the election season set in over the past few months. Internally, BJP workers are unhappy as Mendhe has stuck to his post of Bhandara municipal council chairman even after being elected as MP.

Farmers’ Issues: Bhandara Gondiya is a hub of paddy cultivation. However, those involved in the paddy value chain here have lamented the lack of initiatives taken by the government and incumbent MP to elevate their earnings and resolve other issues.

Ground inputs suggest that there is perceptible disillusionment against Sunil Mendhe in this regard. This is why PM Modi is set to campaign on his behalf. The BJP is hoping the Modi factor, coupled with the party’s development and Hindutva plank, will help it clinch the seat once again.

Caste Division: The Powars are the dominant community in Bhandara-Gondiya and have traditionally voted for the BJP. Sensing that their support among the community is still solid, the BJP has fielded a Kunbi face in an attempt to win that community’s votes here.

The Telis, which are another prominent community, usually see their vote getting divided between different parties like the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. Now that the Congress is fighting after a gap of 25 years, it remains to be seen where the Teli votes go.

Leaders from the Teli and Powar communities had demanded a candidate from their respective castes in this constituency, even if it meant fielding someone from outside the BJP. But given that both BJP and Congress fielded Kunbi candidates, there is a possibility that neither party gets a solid share from both Teli and Powar communities.

In the previous assembly elections, the BJP refused to give tickets to individuals from the Teli community. Consequently, the BJP faced setbacks in all three assembly constituencies in the district.

Tall Order for Congress: The Congress had last contested in Bhandara-Gondiya in 1999, when its candidate Shrikant Jichkar lost by an excruciatingly narrow margin. 25 years since, the Congress’s palm is back on the ballot, although the party would have wanted such a return to take place in more favourable conditions.

The Congress has fielded a new face – Prashant Yadavrao Padole – from the constituency. Ground inputs suggest that as many as half of the voters are not even familiar with the Congress candidate.

Why the Congress has fielded a relatively weaker candidate from the constituency has become a subject of intense discussion in local political circles. In 2014, when Padole fought the state elections from the same seat as a Shiv Sena candidate, he could garner a little over 2,000 votes.

With its candidate having no prior political experience, the Congress is hoping that its state unit president, Nana Patole will help keep the party in the fight. Patole hails from Bhandara Gondiya and is, unlike Prashant Padole, a known face in the area.

VBA Could Split Votes: Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has also fielded Sanjay D Kewat in the constituency. VBA and BSP candidates in the fray could further complicate the Congress’ prospects, as a split in Dalit and Muslim votes is now expected to occur. This paves the way for an even easier BJP victory.

VBA has considerable pockets of influence in the region. In fact, in 2018 by-elections, VBA’s predecessor, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh’s, nominee got over 40,000 votes. That election saw the NCP’s Madhukarrao Y Kukde winning against BJP’s Hemant S Patle.

VOTER DEMOGRAPHICS

Total Voters: 18 lakh

Rural Voters: 14,71,720 (80.4%)

Urban Voters: 358,777 (19.6%)

SC: 15.7%

ST: 9.8%

Caste-wise Demography

Kunbis: 4 lakh

Telis: 3.25 lakh

Powars: 2.25 lakh

Dhivars: 1 lakh

Religion-based Demography

Hindus: 84.09%

Buddhism: 11.18%

Muslims: 2.6%

KEY ISSUES

Agrarian crisis and lack of irrigation: In Bhandara Gondiya, paddy is the main agricultural produce. But farmers in the region say they have received little to no benefits.

Gosikhurd Irrigation Project: Though inaugurated in 1984, the project on the river Wainganga in Pauni taluka in the Bhandara district, has not been commissioned so far. In 39 years, the project has been delayed 10 times. Though the state government had given another deadline of 2023, due to failure to make higher budgetary allocations, completion was once again delayed. Ajit Pawar during the annual Budget presentation for 2023 had announced Rs 853 crore for the project against the proposed demand by the department of Rs 1,500 crore for 2022-23. The lack of this irrigation project can be directly attributed to major agricultural losses.

Inflation: Inflation is impacting the lives of people across the spectrum in the Vidarbha region. From urban areas like Nagpur to semi-urban townships like Chandrapur and even the more rural regions of Ramtek, the rising cost of living has become a central theme in political discussions. Ground reports indicate the relief provided by free ration program is overshadowed by the escalating cost of other necessities. Furthermore, the issue extends beyond just food and household items. The high cost of electricity adds another layer of financial strain, while complaints about the quality of grains at ration shops raise concerns about the overall effectiveness of government support systems.

Caste Issues: In Bhandara-Gondiya, the constituency is dominated by Kunbis, Powars, Telis, and Scheduled Castes, caste identity plays a crucial role in determining electoral outcomes. The demand for caste-based representation has gained momentum, with Teli and Powar community leaders becoming more assertive and demanding representation.

Lack of Industries: Lack of industries in the Bhandara Gondiya and Ramtek are a major issue. According to on ground reports, under Praful Patel’s leadership, BHEL was to set up a plant in the region, later it was done away with. There were also discussions about an Adani power plant which also failed to materialize. This has left the people in the area dejected and has given rise to a feeling of neglect by the Central and State governments.

Employment and migration: The Bhandara-Gondiya constituency suffers from a lack of employment and skill development opportunities. Due to a lack of major industries and private players, people are forced to emigrate to nearby towns of Nagpur or to other states in search of sustainable livelihood. According to reports, 50-60% percent of households are affected by migration.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

1. Airway Connectivity in Gondiya: Despite having an airport prior to independence, it was not until 2022 that Gondiya had airway connectivity with the rest of India. Under the UDAAN scheme of the government, in 2022, the low-cost regional airline, FlyBig, commenced regular and direct flight services to Indore and Hyderabad. However, operations were suspended soon after. Since then, the airport remained inoperative until in October 2023, IndiGo announced it would start commercial operations with flights to Hyderabad.
2. Bus stand at Ganeshpeth: The Maharashtra government had unveiled plans to transform the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus stand at Ganeshpeth into a state-of-the-art international bus port, boasting amenities on par with airports. This ambitious project is intended to serve as a pilot for similar development across the state. The project will provide easy bus service access with world class facilities to Ramtek, and other nearby regions.
3. Nagpur-Gondiya Expressway: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had put forth a proposal for the 127 km Nagpur-Bhandara-Gondiya Expressway, envisioned as a four-lane access-controlled highway traversing eastern Maharashtra. Alternatively referred to as the Eastern Maharashtra Expressway, this route was intended to seamlessly extend the under-construction 701 km Samruddhi Mahamarg (Mumbai – Nagpur Expressway) from its starting point in Nagpur. Upon completion, the expressway is projected to significantly reduce travel time between Nagpur and Gondiya, bringing it down to approximately 2 hours from the existing 4-5 hours. The estimated cost for this ambitious project is around Rs. 12,000 crores, and at that time, the bidding process was already underway.
4. Road Widening in Gondiya and Bhandara: According to a report in November 2021, The Public Works Department (PWD) in Maharashtra has spent Rs 1,103 crore in the last two years concretising or asphalting and widening a few inter-district roads in Nagpur, Bhandara, and Gondiya districts. The total length of road widening in Bhandara and Gondiya is 130.36 km and 111.9 km respectively. There are large lakes, tiger reserves, religious sites, and water fountains, roads leading to which have been widened and asphalted.