High-Stakes Helidropping in Maharashtra Amid Political Tensions

As Maharashtra's elections approach, the Indian Air Force is deploying helicopters to distribute polling personnel and EVMs across challenging terrains. The political landscape is tense, with allegations of anti-Dalit sentiment against Congress further heating up the contest between the MVA coalition and the Mahayuti alliance.

In a strategic move ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, polling personnel and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for 76 polling stations in the Aheri Assembly constituency are being helidropped by Indian Airforce MI-17 helicopters. The operation commenced early Sunday morning and involves the delivery of equipment and staff to 14 base camps at local police stations, from which they will proceed to their designated locations. This airlift, critical due to the region's difficult terrain, is set to continue until November 19 in the district of Gadchiroli.

The state is gearing up for a significant political showdown, as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition—comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—aims to wrest control from the ruling Mahayuti alliance. This latter group includes the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and another faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. Historical results underscore the stakes: the BJP previously secured 105 seats in 2019 and 122 in 2014, indicating a tightly contested arena.

Adding to the campaign's drama, Congress finds itself under fire due to a leaked video featuring senior leader Nitin Raut. In the footage, Raut claims he was ousted from the Vilas Rao Deshmukh cabinet for his 'Jai Bheem' greeting, igniting accusations of anti-Dalit bias against Congress. The claim serves as fodder for BJP attacks, with national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla and others seizing the opportunity to criticize Congress's stance on Dalit issues. Maharashtra BJP women's wing chief Chitra Kishor Wagh also chimed in, accusing Congress of being anti-reservation and anti-backward class.

(With inputs from agencies.)