Until 2014, the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra was represented by Praful Patel, senior NCP leader and a minister in the Manmohan Singh cabinet.
In 2014, he was defeated by the BJP’s Nana Patole by a huge margin. Mr. Patole came in the limelight in 2017 when he openly revolted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and quit BJP to join Congress. He was appointed as vice- president of the Maharashtra unit of Congress earlier this year.
In 1952, when this constituency was only restricted to Bhandara district Dr. B.R. Ambekdar had contested a Lok Sabha by-election from this seat.
In the 1999 Lok Sabha election, prominent Congress leader Shrikant Jichkar lost from this seat by a narrow margin.
However, this high-profile constituency is now witnessing a fight between low-profile leaders for the by-election to be held on May 28.
The by-poll was necessitated due to the resignation of Mr. Patole as MP in November last year.
The Congress-NCP alliance has fielded 67-year-old NCP leader Madhukar Kukde, a Kunbi, whereas the BJP has fielded 59-year-old Hemant Patle. Both candidates have been MLAs from various constituencies in the Gondia district.
However, speculation is rife as to why over Mr. Patel not contesting this election as it was on his insistence the Congress party gave up the seat for the NCP and pacified Nana Patole.
During a program in Gondia before Mr. Kukde’s candidature was announced, Mr. Patel had said that he would not like to contest “only for eight to ten months”.
Mr. Patel also doesn’t appear to be as active on the ground for this election as he usually is for his own election.
According to some Congress sources, if the NCP candidate gets elected, it would be difficult for Mr. Patel to deny him a ticket during the Lok Sabha polls next year which Mr. Patel is eager to contest from this seat.
“Mr. Kukde’s candidature makes it clear that Mr. Patel doesn’t want to create any competition to him in this constituency. The goodwill, which he shares with many BJP leaders, is also quite visible. The NCP machinery isn’t really active for this election and senior NCP leaders, including Mr. Patel, are attending nominal campaign rallies,” a Congress leader from the district said.
Mr. Patle of the BJP is from the Powar community, a dominant community in this constituency.
Though Shiv Sena has still not made its stance clear, it has not fielded a candidate.
During his recent visit to Nagpur, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said his party would support the BJP in Bhandara-Gondia if the BJP supported Shiv Sena in Palghar Lok Sabha seat which also goes to polls on May 28.
In all 18 candidates are in the fray for this by-election but in the absence of a candidate from Shiv Sena and the Bahujan Samaj Party, it’s a straight contest between the Congress-NCP alliance and the BJP.
