Repeat of 2014 Lok Sabha contestants, but battle for Akola seat to have many firsts

Nagpur: The fight for Akola Lok Sabha seat would be historic from all aspects, whichever of the three top contenders wins the battle. Though it’s a repeat of the 2014 general polls, with sitting BJP MP Sanjay Dhotre pitted against Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s (VBA) Prakash Ambedkar, and Congress’ Hidayat Patel, it will record many firsts for all three.
Dhotre, the favourite, is eyeing his fourth straight term and would become the only one to do so in this constituency. He has already equalled the record of three consecutive victories by former state agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar. The non-alliance between Congress and VBA is expected to help him secure this seat.

Ambedkar, who has twice won this seat, had already filed nominations from Solapur, for the first time. In case of his victory in Akola, it will be the first time he will win without support from the Congress. In both his wins, 1998 and 1999, the Congress had supported him. “My campaigning is going on full swing and I will emerge winner from both seats,” Ambedkar told TOI from Murtijapur, where he was campaigning.

Ambedkar has also dropped the name of his actual organization, BRP-BMS and rechristened it the VBA, in alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majl-is-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), which is also for the first time. He will be trying his luck from Akola constituency for the ninth time.

For the Congress, India’s grand old party reposed faith in Muslim candidate Hidayat Patel, who lost to Dhotre by a massive margin of over two lakh votes in 2014. The Congress city chief, however, managed to push Ambedkar, a local favourite, to third place then. If Patel wins, he will be the first Muslim candidate in 48 years to win the seat, after Asgar Hussein in 1971. He’s expected to secure a sizeable Muslim, Buddhist and Dalit votes, which was once a vote bank for the Congress.

“I had never demanded the ticket, but the high command asked me to contest at the last moment. I am confident this time after receiving massive response to my campaign. Everywhere, people complain to me about non-performance of sitting BJP MP and they’ve high expectations from me. Even in Modi wave of 2014, I had managed over 2.55 lakh votes,” he told TOI.

Poll observers say though Dhotre is favourite, it wouldn’t be easy for him to secure a victory in the absence of Modi wave. Anti-incumbency is all time high after his three terms, and voters, particularly from the rural area, are unhappy with his dismal performance. Ambedkar is trying his luck by changing his name, but his failure to tie up an alliance with the Congress would again lead to splitting of votes of Dalit, Buddhist and Muslim communities. On the other hand, Patel needs to consolidate Dalit, Buddhist and OBC votes, if he wants to emerge as winner, but it seems very unlikely. It would be interesting to see how Akola citizens respond to all three candidates on April 18, when the constituency goes to polls.

(With inputs from Samidha Raut)