Straight fight between BJP & NCP in Bhandara-Gondia
Ashish Roy | TNN | Mar 25, 2019, 04:03 IST
Nagpur: Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary constituency is all set to witness a straight fight between BJP and NCP. While BJP has fielded Sunil Mendhe, who is the chairman of Bhandara Municipal Council and NCP is relying on Nana Panchbudhe. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik confirmed Panchbudhe’s name to TOI.
NCP stalwart Praful Patel had held a meeting of his supporters in Gondia on Sunday night. Many of them had urged him to throw his hat in the ring but he told them that he would take a decision later. The other names in fray are Patel’s wife Varsha, former minister of state Nana Panchbudhe, former Gondia zilla parishad president Vijay Shivankar and Sunil Funde. Panchbudhe’s name was finalized by Patel at the last moment.
Patel is currently a Rajya Sabha MP and if he resigns his seat will go to BJP due to its strength in the state. This seems to be a reason for Patel’s reluctance to contest Lok Sabha.
BJP candidate Mendhe hails from Kunbi community. In the May 2018 by-election, BJP had fielded Hemant Patle, a Powar, and lost to NCP’s Madhukar Kukde, a Kunbi. The party has decided to change its strategy this time.
Patel had lost to Nana Patole of BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. Patole, a Kunbi, had got wholehearted support from his community. He also benefited from the Modi wave.
The by-election was a matter of survival for Patole. He rallied his might behind Kukde and ensured his victory. There were reports that Patel was not strongly backing Kukde.
This time Patole is busy fighting his own battle in Nagpur and won’t be present to help the NCP candidate. This time it will be Patel and other Congress leaders who will have to fight the BJP.
BJP had considered the name of its MLC Parinay Fuke till the last moment but the ticket finally went to Mendhe because Fuke hails from Nagpur.
NCP stalwart Praful Patel had held a meeting of his supporters in Gondia on Sunday night. Many of them had urged him to throw his hat in the ring but he told them that he would take a decision later. The other names in fray are Patel’s wife Varsha, former minister of state Nana Panchbudhe, former Gondia zilla parishad president Vijay Shivankar and Sunil Funde. Panchbudhe’s name was finalized by Patel at the last moment.
Patel is currently a Rajya Sabha MP and if he resigns his seat will go to BJP due to its strength in the state. This seems to be a reason for Patel’s reluctance to contest Lok Sabha.
BJP candidate Mendhe hails from Kunbi community. In the May 2018 by-election, BJP had fielded Hemant Patle, a Powar, and lost to NCP’s Madhukar Kukde, a Kunbi. The party has decided to change its strategy this time.
Patel had lost to Nana Patole of BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. Patole, a Kunbi, had got wholehearted support from his community. He also benefited from the Modi wave.
The by-election was a matter of survival for Patole. He rallied his might behind Kukde and ensured his victory. There were reports that Patel was not strongly backing Kukde.
This time Patole is busy fighting his own battle in Nagpur and won’t be present to help the NCP candidate. This time it will be Patel and other Congress leaders who will have to fight the BJP.
BJP had considered the name of its MLC Parinay Fuke till the last moment but the ticket finally went to Mendhe because Fuke hails from Nagpur.
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