NAGPUR:The burden of campaign for the NCP-Congress candidate Madhular Kukde rests solely on party stalwart
Praful Patel who knows Gondia-Bhandara Lok Sabha constituency like the back of his hand. He has contested several times from this seat and has had mixed results. With now only a week of effective campaign time left, there was no sign of other star campaigners from the
Congress or the
NCP.
In stark contrast, the
BJP campaign for its nominee Hemant Patle was better organized and peaked at the right time as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis joined the drive on Saturday and addressed election rallies at Mohadi and Sakoli. Union minister Nitin Gadkari is expected to address a rally in Bhandara on Sunday. The presence of these two leaders, now seen as the tallest in the state for the BJP, is certain to add weight to the campaign.
Patel, even though willing to carry on the burden, is more of a local boy and in election time people are attracted if the campaign is spiced-up with star speakers from outside. Patel said he had already completed one full round of all 12 talukas jointly with Nana Patole and other Congress leaders.
Patel had to rush to Mumbai on Saturday morning for some important meetings leaving the campaign rudderless for two days.
Meanwhile, Patole, who is at the centre of it all for having caused the untimely by-election by his abrupt resignation, is on the defensive. The BJP has accused him of quitting to cover-up his non-performance in the constituency in his term as BJP MP.
As a major advantage, six of the seven Assembly segments in the two districts are represented by the BJP. Its MLAs are active and in their respective areas are circulating pamphlets showing the work they have done till date. They also mention that if Patle is elected, he will strive to get the work started for the BHEL plant at Sakoli to generate large number of jobs for locals.
The plant was sanctioned during Praful Patel’s reign as Union heavy industries minister. But, except for the allotment of land, nothing has moved.
A down-to-earth Kukde was seen on Friday going around villages on Lakhandur side all by himself with a small team while Patel and Patole did their own bit separately with public meetings at different places to cover as many places as possible.
Asked about the missing star campaigners, Kukde said he was hopeful of NCP stalwarts Ajit Pawar, Dhananjay Munde and Jayant Patil, and the Congress state president
Ashok Chavan as well as Radhkrishna Vikhe-Patil making a round next week. However, both NCP and Congress functionaries could not confirm their itinerary.
Stature-wise, both Kukde and Patle look evenly poised and there are many who feel that the caste factor may play a role in deciding the winner. Kukde belongs to Kunbi community which has the largest vote share of 3 lakh here. Patle, who is from the Powar community, has 2.5 lakh voters.
State power minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who is the BJP points man, could play a hand in drawing the traditional Teli vote which is 2.5 lakh strong. Dalits, tribals and fishing communities that add up to 1.75 lakh could also swing the outcome if they vote en-mass to any one party. Caste conflagrations could decide the winner.