Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and party candidate Devendra Fadnavis with supporters during the celebrations following the victory of BJP-led Mahayuti in the State Assembly elections, at BJP HQ in Mumbai on November 23, 2024
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) further cemented its base in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, winning around 37 out of 62 Assembly seats. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance captured a total of 48 seats in the region, showcasing its strength. The BJP swept Nagpur district, home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, including the high-profile Nagpur South-West constituency held by Devendra Fadnavis, the former Chief Minister and current Deputy Chief Minister of the State.
Mr. Fadnavis secured a convincing victory from Nagpur South-West, defeating Congress rival Praful Gudadhe-Patil by a margin of 39,710 votes. The Congress, meanwhile, managed to win only nine seats in Vidarbha, while the Congress and its allies collectively won 13 seats. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, failed to secure a single seat in the region.
Also read | Maharashtra election results 2024: Mahayuti alliance reverse losses in Vidarbha and rural areas
“This shows that the OBCs are back with the BJP, and Ladki Bahins have given them their support,” Devendra Gavande, Resident Editor of Loksatta in Nagpur, observed.
Vidarbha, with its 62 constituencies, is central to Maharashtra’s political landscape. Stretching from the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district on the Chhattisgarh border to Nagpur, the region encapsulates stark contrasts. It is not only the ideological hub of the BJP through the RSS but also a significant socio-political melting pot. The region is also home to Deekshabhoomi, where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1956. Simultaneously, it has been at the heart of an agrarian crisis affecting Maharashtra’s cotton and Soyabean belt.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held multiple public events in the region, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched his campaign from Nagpur, participating in a Samvidhan Sammelan (Constitutional Conference) and addressing numerous rallies.
Both parties addressed region-specific issues such as agriculture, Other Backward Classes (OBC) rights, and tribal concerns during their campaigns. Vidarbha had also been a battleground in the Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance struggled, winning only three of the 10 seats – a setback that had raised doubts about its grip on the region.
The decisive Assembly results, however, have reasserted Vidarbha as a BJP bastion. Observers now see the region as the bellwether of Maharashtra politics.
“Historically, the party that wins Vidarbha goes on to form the government in Maharashtra. This is why top leaders from all parties actively campaigned here,” Mr. Gavande told The Hindu.
He also said that the road to power in Mumbai runs through Vidarbha – a region that has once again proven its pivotal role in shaping Maharashtra’s political narrative.
Published – November 23, 2024 09:20 pm IST