Nagpur: Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, on Monday expressed unwavering confidence in the Mahayuti alliance, anticipating a clean sweep in the upcoming polls across East Vidarbha in the 1st phased on April 19. Fadnavis asserted that the electorate’s support would overwhelmingly favour the saffron alliance, citing the transformative initiatives spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past decade. This assertion underscores the alliance’s reliance on the appeal of Modi’s governance and development agenda to secure a favourable mandate in the region.
Interacting with media at Nagpur Airport, Fadnavis said that BJP is seeing a favourable mood in the constituencies in East Vidarbha going to polls in the first phase. In Nagpur, a very strong candidate like Nitin Gadkari is contesting again. He said the Mahayuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP led by Ajit Pawar will do a clean sweep in the first phase.
The BJP has reached out to the last man at the booth level in the last four to five years, Fadnavis said. He said a decision on the Lok Sabha seat to be allocated to RSP leader Mahadev Jankar will be announced after holding discussions. “We have decided to give him one seat,” he added.
Maharashtra, which sends 48 members to Lok Sabha, will vote in five phases starting April 19.
Voting will be held for Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), Bhandara-Gondia, and Chandrapur in the first phase. The last date to file nominations in these seats is March 27.
In four out of five seats, the BJP and Congress are locked in a straight fight.
Gadkari is seeking a third term in Lok Sabha from Nagpur constituency, which houses the RSS headquarters. The Congress has decided to field sitting MLA Vikas Thakre. A straight fight is also shaping up between Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of BJP and Pratibha Dhanorkar of Congress in Chandrapur.
In Bhandara-Gondia, BJP nominee and sitting MP Sunil Mendhe will square off against Congress’ Prashant Padole. In Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) also, there is a straight fight between BJP MP Ashok Nete and Congress leader Namdeo Kirsan.
The Congress has fielded former Nagpur Zilla Parishad President Rashmi Barve from the Ramtek (SC) constituency. The seat is likely to be contested by the ruling Shiv Sena.
