In Marathwada Uphill Battle, BJP Depends On Eknath Shinde’s Appeal, Manoj Jarange Pull-Out Comforts Congress
In Lok Sabha elections six months ago, BJP could not win any seat in Marathwada. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won eight of the nine seats, while Eknath Shinde’s party won Aurangabad.
The BJP is hoping for a miracle in Marathwada this time, riding on the shoulders of their coalition’s Maratha face and chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Maratha Reservation and Political Shifts in Marathwada
Posters of the CM dot Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and the Mahayuti reminds voters that it renamed the city, previously associated with Aurangzeb, who ordered the killing of Chhatrapati Sambhaji.
The issue of the undelivered Maratha reservation continues to haunt the BJP, with reservation activist Manoj Jarange painting Devendra Fadnavis as the villain of the piece.
With 46 seats at stake in Marathwada, what has proven to be a shot in the arm for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in these elections is the decision of Jarange to withdraw his candidates from the electoral race.
“Maratha votes won’t divide, and the MVA stands to gain,” say Congress supporters of party candidate Lahu Hanumant Rao from the Aurangabad (East) seat. Although the BJP currently holds the seat, the MVA remains optimistic about winning it as part of a Marathwada sweep this time.
A group of Maratha auto drivers in the town told CNN-News18, “The Marathas want a reservation promise that is delivered, not empty promises rejected by the court,” referring to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Fadnavis government’s earlier move to grant 10% reservation to Marathas.
The aim clearly is to break the Maratha-Muslim-Dalit coalition of voters in favour of the MVA.
Another factor is Jarange not attacking Shinde in his speeches. The prime minister is also holding a rally in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar on Thursday to shore up the Mahayuti’s chances.
