The flags of the BJP and the Congress.
Credit: PTI Photos
Mumbai: Located on the banks of the Godavari River, the historic city of Nanded is witnessing a direct Congress vs BJP contest in the Lok Sabha by-elections.
Nanded falls under the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, where the BJP-led Maha Yuti has suffered severe electoral setbacks during the Lok Sabha polls.
The by-elections have been necessitated because of the death of Vasant Chavan, who passed away on 6 August at the KIMS Hospital in Hyderabad, where he was admitted following multiple complications.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Vasant Chavan had defeated sitting MP of BJP Prataprao Patil-Chikhalikar by 59,442 votes under difficult and challenging circumstances.
The Congress win has come at a time when veteran politician and Gandhi-family loyalist Ashok Chavan left the grand old party to join the BJP and become a Rajya Sabha member. Both Ashok Chavan and his father late Shankarrao Chavan were Maharashtra Chief Ministers.
On 5 September, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge visited the Chavan family in Nanded and condoled the death of the late leader.
Later, Chavan’s son Ravindra Chavan was nominated to contest his late father’s seat.
However, the BJP sprang a surprise and fielded Dr Santuk Hambarde, the BJP district chief of Nanded.
Incidentally, Santuk Hambarde’s brother Mohan Hambarde is a sitting Congress MLA from Nanded South and contesting the Nanded South seat. Mohan Hambarde, however, is considered close to Ashok Chavan.
The BJP decided to field Santuk Hambarde for the bypolls and Chikhalikar joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to contest the Loha seat which falls under the Latur Lok Sabha seat.
A total of 19 candidates are in fray in Nanded bye polls including Ravindra Chavan and Santuk Hambarde. The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has fielded Avinash Bhosikar while the Mahadev Jankar-led Rashtriya Samaj Paksha has nominated Gangadhar Bange.
The six Assembly segments of Nanded are: Bokhar, Nanded North, Nanded South, Naigaon, Deglur (SC) and Mukhed.
While the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi is making all efforts to retain the seat, the election is a major challenge for Ashok Chavan, one of the top politicians from the Marathwada seat.
The Chavan family seat of Bhokar is being contested by Ashok Chavan’s daughter Shreejaya Chavan. It is a matter of prestige for her as the seat had been represented by her late grandfather Shankarao Chavan, her father Ashok Chavan and mother Ameeta Chavan.
As part of the BJP's strategy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed a mega rally in Nanded.