Patole’s Pivotal Play

One of the most closely watched contests in western Vidarbha in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections will be in Sakoli constituency, where Nana Patole, the outspoken state Congress chief, is seeking re-election. His battle for a fourth term would be pivotal not only for his own political future but also for Congress’ staying power in Vidarbha which has witnessed a dramatic realignment of political forces in recent years.

In an eventful career of political switches, Patole had first left the Congress and joined the BJP on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and contested from Bhandara-Gondia (of which Sakoli is part of), defeating NCP heavyweight Praful Patel. Patole then famously quit the BJP in 2018 for the Congress after claiming he had been slighted by PM Narendra Modi, and then equally impulsively, stepped down as Maharashtra Assembly Speaker in 2021.

Along with Vijay Wadettiwar, Patole is the Congress’ most prominent OBC face here with a strong ground connect in rural Vidarbha. When he switched parties in 2018, he had cited his disillusionment with the BJP’s handling of issues important to farmers. Since then, he has built a staunch voter base by positioning himself as a fierce advocate for the region’s agrarian concerns.

While he won Sakoli in the 2019 Assembly polls, the current election presents a much more challenging prospect despite the Congress (and the MVA) delivering a sterling performance in this belt in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

This time, Patole is pitted against the BJP’s Avinash Brahmankar - a former independent who has carved out a space for himself as an alternative to the Congressman. Brahmankar, it is said, has the backing of both the BJP and local anti-Congress factions. Brahmankar’s entry into the race has already galvanized the BJP’s base, which sees an opportunity to dethrone Patole, who has become something of a lightning rod for criticism from his former party and within the MVA as well.

While Patole’s position as the Congress state president and his advocacy for the OBC community are likely to keep him a formidable challenger, the BJP’s growing influence in Sakoli cannot be underestimated.

For Patole, the stakes are high. As Congress’s chief contender for the Chief Minister’s office in Maharashtra, his performance in Sakoli will shape the party’s prospects in Vidarbha – a region where the Maharashtra Congress’ strength is most concentrated.

In nearby Gondia, Patole’s influence effected a dramatic coup in getting veteran local leader Gopaldas Agrawal to rejoin the Congress after a five-year dalliance with the BJP. Agrawal, a former three-time MLA from Gondia, was promptly fielded as the MVA’s candidate where he takes on the BJP’s Vinod Agrawal.

As Agrawal seeks redemption, the Congress is bolstered by the recent joining of another former BJP local heavyweight, Shishupal Patle. Patle’s political career has seen dramatic highs and lows, including his famous 2004 defeat of Praful Patel, then the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

Amidst these contests, rising stars are seeking to make a lasting mark in eastern Vidarbha’s political firmament. Narendra Bhondekar, incumbent MLA of Bhandara, who joined the ruling Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde after jettisoning his ‘independent’ status, is seeking re-election for a third time. His advocacy for sustainable agriculture and green energy initiatives has earned him significant grassroots support. Shinde has promised Bhondekar the Guardian Ministership of Bhandara if he wins this time.

This year’s election cycle is unlike any other, with political alliances and rivalries in East Vidarbha heating up as the clock ticks relentlessly to polling day.