Nagpur: Within just 24 hours of the State Election Commission announcing the schedule for the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swung into full election mode, appointing its district-wise election chiefs and in-charges across the Vidarbha region.
In the new structure, MLA Praveen Datke has been appointed Election Chief for Nagpur, while MLA Parinay Phuke will oversee the Bhandara district. The move signals the BJP’s intent to strengthen its hold not only in opposition-dominated regions but also in areas considered strongholds of its alliance partners.
Notably, the BJP has fielded Parinay Phuke in Bhandara, a district known to be the bastion of Eknath Shinde loyalist MLA Narendra Bhondekar, underscoring the party’s readiness to assert its dominance even within the ruling coalition.
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Party insiders confirmed that the appointments aim to streamline local strategy and accelerate ground-level preparations ahead of the polls. The leadership emphasized that the BJP must stay “election-ready” at all times.
Key Appointments Across Districts
- Nagpur: Praveen Datke (Chief), Shweta Mahale (In-Charge)
- Bhandara: Parinay Phuke (Chief), Prakash Balbudhe (In-Charge)
- Gondia: Girish Vyas (In-Charge), Sanjay Puram (Chief)
- Wardha: Pankaj Bhoyar (In-Charge), Ramdas Tadas (Chief)
- Chandrapur (City): Ashok Nete (In-Charge), Kishor Jogenwar (Chief)
- Chandrapur (Rural): Ashok Nete (In-Charge), Deorao Bhongle (Chief)
- Amravati (City): Sanjay Kute (In-Charge), Jayant Dehankar (Chief)
- Amravati (Morshi): Sanjay Kute (In-Charge), Dr. Anil Bonde (Chief)
- Yavatmal: Madan Yerawar (In-Charge), Nitin Bhutada (Chief)
- Pusad: Madan Yerawar (In-Charge), Nilay Naik (Chief)
- Akola (City): Randeer Savarkar (In-Charge), Vijay Agarwal (Chief)
- Akola (Rural): Randeer Savarkar (In-Charge), Amit Kaware (Chief)
- Buldhana: Akash Fundkar (In-Charge), Shweta Mahale (Chief)
- Khamgaon: Praveen Datke (In-Charge), Chain Sukh Sancheti (Chief)
- Ramtek: Praveen Datke (In-Charge), Arvind Gajbhiye (Chief)
- Washim: Anup Dhotre (In-Charge), Raju Raje Patil (Chief)
- Melghat: Sanjay Kute (In-Charge), Dr. Praveen Patil (Chief)
- Gadchiroli: Bunty Bhangediya (In-Charge), Prashant Waghare (Chief)
Political Message Behind the Move
With these appointments, the BJP has made its intentions clear: it plans to contest aggressively not only against the opposition but also in territories held by its Mahayuti allies. Party sources say the leadership wants to ensure that the BJP’s organizational machinery remains dominant in every district.
The announcement has set the tone for an intense political battle across Vidarbha, where local leadership, caste dynamics, and coalition equations will play a crucial role in determining outcomes.
