Vidarbha’s 62 seats are crucial, with both the BJP and Congress contesting key constituencies.
New Delhi: The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra is preparing for a fierce political showdown in the upcoming state Assembly elections, set for a single phase on November 20, 2024. This key cotton-producing area, with 62 Assembly seats, is expected to play a significant role in determining the next state government. The contest is heating up between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with special focus on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its arch-rival, the grand old party, Congress. These two major parties will directly compete in 36 of the 62 seats, making Vidarbha a pivotal battleground that could shape Maharashtra’s political landscape for the next five years.
Vidarbha, comprising 11 districts—Nagpur, Chandrapur, Amravati, Akola, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Buldhana, Gondia, Wardha, Washim, and Yavatmal—was once a Congress stronghold. However, the party began losing its grip on the region in the 1990s as BJP made significant inroads. For nearly three decades, Vidarbha remained aligned with the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition. BJP’s tacit support for the demand for a separate Vidarbha state helped it gain favour among voters, though the issue was never fully pursued due to Shiv Sena’s opposition under Bal Thackeray’s leadership. To maintain its influence, BJP has since focused on promises to industrialise Vidarbha. In the 2014 Assembly elections, BJP contested independently and won 44 seats in the region, a number that dropped to 29 in 2019. Meanwhile, Congress has been regaining momentum, as evidenced by its strategic appointments of Nana Falgunrao Patole and Vijay Nandevrao Wadettiwar to key positions of state president and Leader of Opposition. This renewed focus contributed to the MVA’s success in winning seven of Vidarbha’s 10 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Vidarbha is crucial for BJP, largely because the headquarters of its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is based in Nagpur. The region is also home to some of the party’s prominent leaders, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. With the RSS intensifying its grassroots outreach, particularly in Vidarbha, BJP is optimistic about strengthening its position. Nagpur, with the largest and most politically significant bloc of 12 seats, is set for high-stakes contests. Although BJP won 11 seats in Nagpur in 2014, its count dropped to six in 2019.
Congress aims to capitalise on anti-incumbency sentiment, especially in the South and Central constituencies of Nagpur city, where it narrowly lost to BJP in the last election. The party also seeks to reinforce its hold on the Nagpur North and West seats, which it won in 2019, while in rural Nagpur, Congress is highlighting farmer distress and local development issues—factors that weakened the BJP in 2019. To retain its remaining seats, BJP is banking on the popularity of its local leaders and its strong organisational network. Additionally, the party is working to consolidate support among OBCs and reach out to Dalits. Over the past six months, a dedicated team has been working across Vidarbha to engage with the region’s voters. On the other hand, Congress is relying on its “DMK formula”—appealing to Dalit, Muslim, and Kunbi voters—to replicate its Lok Sabha success in Vidarbha, with a particular focus on youth employment and development issues.
The upcoming Assembly election holds unique significance, with both, BJP and Congress heavily relying on Vidarbha’s cotton belt to determine their fortunes. In this region, the two parties will face- off directly in 36 out of the 62 seats. The race will also see several political heavyweights from both sides, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and state Congress president Nana Patole, all contesting in Vidarbha.
Fadnavis will be running for a sixth term from Nagpur South West, facing Congress candidate Praful Gudadhe. Bawankule will go up against Congress’s Suresh Bhoyar, while Congress state head Nana Patole is set to compete with BJP’s Avinash Brahmankar in Sakoli. Additionally, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar will take on the BJP’s Krishnalal Sahare in Brahmapuri.