Nagpur: In a surprising turn for the upcoming Nagpur Assembly elections, several prominent Congress leaders have filed as independent candidates, potentially fracturing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) vote base. Leaders like Tanaji Wanve, Yadnyavalkya Jichkar, Dr. Anees Ahmed, Rajendra Mulak, and Manoj Sangole have each filed nominations from key constituencies, challenging MVA’s official nominees.
Yadnyavalkya Jichkar, accompanied by his mother, Rajshri Jichkar, submitted his nomination for Katol constituency, traditionally held by Congress. In a controversial move, MVA nominated NCP’s Anil Deshmukh for the seat, prompting Jichkar, an All India Congress Committee member, to contest independently. Former Leader of Opposition in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Tanaji Wanve, also filed as an independent candidate for Nagpur East, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s nomination decisions.
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Friday 20 Dec. 2024
In Nagpur Central, Dr. Anees Ahmed has filed his candidacy on a Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) ticket, drawing support from the Muslim community who had anticipated a candidate from their community or the Halba community. Ahmed’s independent move may shift the voter base away from Congress’s candidate, Bunty Shelke, directly affecting MVA’s foothold in this region.
Former Congress corporator Manoj Sangole has stirred the race further by entering as an RSP candidate in North Nagpur, surprising BSP supporters who had already nominated Buddham Raut. Sangole’s unexpected bid is expected to impact MLA Dr. Nitin Raut’s chances as he faces divided support.
Finally, Rajendra Mulak, former state minister and relative of ex-Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, aims to contest from Ramtek. Long-standing disputes between Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) over seat allocation led UBT to field Vishal Barbate, forcing Mulak to take a stand. Mulak’s candidacy could further split votes and weaken MVA’s control in this stronghold.
With these independent moves by prominent Congress leaders, the upcoming Nagpur Assembly elections have become a high-stakes battle, with independent candidates likely to redefine the MVA’s strategy and impact election outcomes across multiple constituencies.
