BJP eyes LS, Cong plays Dalit card while NCP springs a surprise

MUMBAI: The 2024 elections, especially those to the Lok Sabha, appeared to be a crucial factor behind the selection of candidates by the BJP, while the Congress’ move to field Chandrakant Handore, a Dalit leader, was a smart move to pre-empt any further setbacks. The biggest surprise came from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP which nominated its working president Praful Patel, who is already a Rajya Sabha MP.
The BJP-led alliance was aiming to win all six seats and give another blow to the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to show up the MVA as weak and vulnerable. However, with the Congress announcing a Dalit leader as its candidate, the BJP seemed to have chosen not to field an extra candidate, paving the way for unopposed election, provided no independent candidate files papers on Thursday, which is the last day for nominations.
This comes as a respite for the Congress, as it was wary of its MLAs close to former chief minister Ashok Chavan voting against the party candidate. A senior Congress leader said the party’s decision to field former Mumbai mayor Chandrakant Handore, a Dalit leader, was a significant strategy. “The BJP does not want to be seen defeating a Dalit leader ahead of the election,” he said. “The party would have been accused of fielding a Brahmin (Kulkarni) and a Maratha (Chavan) and defeating a Dalit candidate. It appears that its leaders did not want to take that chance.”
The major highlight of the BJP’s nominations was candidature to new entrant Chavan and denying renomination to union minister Narayan Rane. Party leaders said that Rane could be asked to contest the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency currently represented by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut. Although the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has staked a claim to the seat, the BJP wants to contest it. Among the available options the party has, Rane could be a strong candidate.
Besides Chavan, the BJP fielded Medha Kulkarni, a former legislator from Pune city and a locally popular leader. Kulkarni was sitting MLA when she was denied a ticket in 2019 in order to field the then state BJP president Chandrakant Patil from her Kothrud constituency, a safe seat for the party. The BJP bore the brunt of Brahmin voters’ ire in Pune in the Kasba Peth byelection last year when Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar was elected despite a strong presence of Brahmin voters there. Kulkarni’s nomination is seen as the party’s attempt to pacify its traditional voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Brahmin voters will play a key factor in the Pune Lok Sabha seat. Significantly, senior BJP leader Prakash Javdekar, whose tenure is coming to an end, was not renominated.
Among the BJP’s allies, the Shiv Sena’s choice was along expected lines, with the party fielding Milind Deora. Ajit Pawar, however, surprised everyone by nominating Patel, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2022 and still has four years of tenure left. A senior party leader said there was uncertainty over Patel’s future in the Rajya Sabha, since the disqualification petition filed by the Sharad Pawar faction against Patel after Ajit Pawar’s rebellion is pending. Further, the party’s top brass failed to take a decision on who to nominate, as its ally BJP was not happy with talk about Baba Siddique’s candidature. The party has now deferred its decision on this while Patel will get another tenure in the Rajya Sabha.
By nominating Handore, the Congress has also tried to correct the wrong done to him. The former mayor was fielded by the party for the legislative council elections in 2022. Due to cross-voting by Congress legislators, Handore lost while another candidate, Bhai Jagtap, got elected.
The selection of Ajit Gopchade is aimed at Lingayat voters who have a significant presence in western and central Maharashtra. Besides, the fact that he is a kar sevak who had participated in the Babri masjid demolition also goes well with the party’s electoral emphasis on the opening of the Ram temple.