As Maharashtra approaches the November 20 Assembly elections, two constituencies in Eastern Vidarbha are standing out for their unusual and convoluted political dramas with more than a touch of the soap opera: They are Katol (in Nagpur district) and Aheri (in Gadchiroli). Here, a mix of personal legacies, familial ties, and a confusion of names have created a strange electoral landscape.
In Katol, the electoral contest is uniquely complicated by the presence of two candidates sharing the name of ‘Anil Deshmukh.’ Salil Deshmukh, the son of former Home Minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh, is making his electoral debut as the opposition MVA candidate. Katol has long been Anil Deshmukh and the undivided NCP’s stronghold in Vidarbha.
However, in a vexing development for Salil, his primary opponent, Anil Shankarrao Deshmukh, is not a relative but a local resident running on behalf of the ruling Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. This coincidence of names adds an unexpected layer of intrigue to a constituency previously won a number of times by Salil’s father, Deshmukh senior.
Anil Deshmukh, affectionately known as ‘Anilbabu,’ carries substantial name recognition - a factor that could confuse many voters, particularly those loyal to the former minister who is well-liked in the region despite facing allegations of extortion that led to his imprisonment. The complications are exacerbated by the fact that Anil Shankarrao Deshmukh will contest under the NCP’s ‘Clock’ symbol — previously associated with Anilbabu when the NCP was undivided under Sharad Pawar — while Salil will represent the Tutari symbol (a man blowing a trumpet) of the NCP (SP).
The blend of names and symbols may well result in a muddled choice for voters, complicating Salil’s efforts to establish his own identity amid the weight of his father’s legacy.
Adding to the mix in Katol is the candidacy of Charansingh Thakur, a seasoned BJP leader and former president of the Katol Municipal Corporation. His presence ensures that the race is not just a familial squabble but a three-way contest.
Meanwhile, in Aheri, the electoral drama escalates into an even more personal narrative. Incumbent NCP MLA Dharmarao Atram finds himself pitted against his own daughter, Bhagyashree Atram-Halgekar, in a strange contest in a state traditionally known for its uncle-nephew face-offs.
The two are contesting from rival factions of the NCP, with Dharmarao standing for Ajit Pawar’s faction and Bhagyashree representing the Sharad Pawar camp. The stakes are high, not just for their political futures but for the very fabric of their family.
According to some quarters, Bhagyashree ascribes her decision to Sharad Pawar’s role in rescuing her father who was kidnapped by the Naxalites in the early 1990s. Whatever the real reason, Aheri’s electoral dynamic is further complicated by the presence of another family member, Dharmarao’s nephew, Ambrishrao, who is contesting as an independent, transforming this electoral battle into a triangular contest that could further fracture loyalties.
As the elections draw near, Katol and Aheri stand as microcosms of Maharashtra’s political landscape, illustrating the strange blend of the personal and the political that is defining the 2024 Assembly polls.
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