Nagpur: The decision of all four major political parties in Akola and Amravati districts — the Bhartiya Janata Party, the Congress, the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party — to contest the civic polls on their own, has opened doors of opportunities for smaller parties to become “kingmakers”.
Prakash Ambedkar’s Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh in Akola; Independent MLA from Badnera, Ravi Rana’s Yuwa Swabhiman Sanghatana; and independent MLA Bachchu Kadu’s Prahar in Amravati, have put up candidates at selected seats as opposed to the major political parties, who are contesting on almost all seats in both the districts.
Similarly, smaller parties like the BSP, the AIMIM, and the Samajwadi party have also fielded candidates at selected seats.
Changes in Amravati
The political equations in Amravati district have seen surprising changes in last five years.
Sunil Deshmukh, once a popular Congress leader and Minister from Amravati, is now a BJP MLA, and Sanjay Khodke, once NCP’s face in the district, is with the Congress now.
The only leader, who has not crossed over to other party and was actively involved in election management of his party was Anand Rao Adsul, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP from Amravati.
The Congress is contesting on 81 out of 87 seats in the Amravati Municipal Corporation. The party has given six seats to the Republican Party of India’s Gavai faction. The BJP is contesting on 76 seats, and the Shiv Sena has fielded 69 candidates.
The AIMIM has carefully selected 18 wards to contest, while Raj Thakare’s MNS is also contesting on 18 seats.
The civic body was ruled by the Congress-NCP combine in the last term.
Star campaigners
Apart from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, no other party sent its star campaigner for campaigning in Amravati.
However, the Sena looks in good shape with one rally of the party spokesperson Sanjay Raut and focused work by Mr. Adsul.
The Congress’s leader of opposition in the State Assembly, Radha Krishna Vikhe-Patil, also addressed one rally in the district. With the induction of Mr. Khodke and his supporters, the Congress is likely to put up a stiff resistance to an emerging BJP.
A political observer said, “The Shiv Sena is likely to perform better but no party is likely to get a clear majority in Amravati Municipal Corporation. Ravi Rana’s organization has the potential to win many seats. He, along with other smaller players, will decide on who will rule this body for next five years.” He added that the BJP’s stress on “religious sentiments” in the last four days of campaigning could swing votes towards it.
Kingmakers
In Akola Municipal Corporation, the performance of Prakash Ambedkar’s Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh and the impact of open infighting in the BJP could decide the results.
Rajendra Patode of the BBM, said, “We are contesting on 63 out of 80 seats this year. We hope to double our number from seven to 14. No party is likely to get a clear majority this election because of the confusion caused by four-member electoral panel per ward. We will be the Kingmakers again.”
The inclusion of some rural parts within the limit of the Akola Municipal Corporation could also help the BBM. The “corner meetings” held by Mr. Ambedkar in every ward could also help the party.
The AIMIM has focused on ten wards and has fielded 16 candidates in the district.
The open infighting between the Minister of State in Mr. Fadnavis’ cabinet, Ranjeet Patil, and Akola MP Sanjay Dhotre, could cause disadvantage to the BJP.
A Congress leader from Akola said, “But the BJP is likely to increase its tally than the last elections this time, as it is the ruling party at the State and at the Center. Also, no other party has the resources which the BJP has and it is likely to help them. No party is in a position to get a clear mandate.”
