PJP's Entry Complicates BJP-Congress Contest in Amravati

Amravati, a significant Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, features actor-turned-politician Navneet Rana, contesting on a BJP ticket after winning in 2019 as an independent. The contest is triangular, with Rana facing Congress' Balwant Wankhede and Dinesh Bub of Prahar Janshakti Party. The constituency has 18,36,078 voters, including a large Muslim and Dalit population, and will see a close fight between Congress and BJP.

Amravati in Maharashtra is among the Lok Sabha constituencies to watch out for due to the presence of actor-turned-politician Navneet Rana, who won it in 2019 as an independent supported by opposition parties and is now contesting on a BJP ticket.

She and her MLA Ravi Rana hit the national headlines after being arrested for threatening to recite Hanuman Chalisa at the Mumbai home of then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, which made her a prime target of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) and the Congress.

The 2024 Lok Sabha contest in Amravati is a triangular one between Rana, the Congress' Balwant Wankhede and Dinesh Bub of the Prahar Janshakti Party, which is a partner of the Eknath Shinde-led ruling alliance in the state.

Amravati has 18,36, 078 voters, comprising 9,44, 213 male, 8,91,780 female and 85 third gender voters. It also has the highest number of candidates, at 37, among the eight Lok Sabha seats in the state that will go to polls on April 26.

It is going to be a tough fight between the Congress and the BJP since the opposition parties believe the Rana couple is trying to dominate the region's politics, while for the Prahar Janshati Party led by Bachhu Kadu it is a matter of survival, said senior journalist and political observer Mohan Atalkar.

Prahar Janshakti Party being denied permission to hold a rally on April 24 reportedly in order to facilitate a meeting of Union Minister Home Amit Shah has brought the party and Kadu in the limelight with many believing the BJP is working in a high-handed and arbitrary manner, Atalkar claimed.

This incident, along with issues related to farm produce MSP, unemployment and anti-incumbency, may affect Rana's prospects, he said.

''Amravati is a Scheduled Caste reserved seat. The 5 lakh Muslim and Dalit votes are likely to go to Congress' Wankhede, who would also gain a large part of the Maratha, Kunbi and Patil votes. The entry of Prahar Janshakti Party will further dent BJP prospects,'' Atalkar opined.

MPCC spokesperson and senior Congress leader from Amravati Dilip Yedatkar told PTI said his party has an edge and recent developments involving the Prahar Janshakti Party may even push the BJP to third place.

''The denial of permission for the rally is being seen as BJP's dadagiri. Moreover, many votes will shift from Rana to Prahar Janshakti Party. Rana won the 2019 polls due to support of the Congress and (undivided) NCP and had got Muslim and Buddhist votes,'' Yedatkar said.

''However, within two months of getting elected, she extended support to the BJP, which people did not like. The Hanuman Chalisa episode and turning the Umesh Kolhe murder case into a communal tussle will also affect the way Muslims vote here. The talk of changing Constitution will affect Buddhist votes,'' he claimed.

Around 70 per cent of Maratha, Patil and Kunbhi votes will go in favour Congress candidate Balwant Wankhede and the Hindutva, Hindi speaking votes, Maratha and OBC votes will go to Prahar Janshakti Party, Yedatkar said.

Wankhede may win with a margin of one lakh votes, he said.

However, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde told PTI the work done by the Narendra Modi government in the last 10 years as well as the Hindutva cause espoused by Rana will ensure victory.

''The division of votes between Congress and other parties will benefit BJP. Last time, Navneet Rana with support of Congress-NCP secured 45 percent vote. Shiv Sena candidate Anand Adsul secured 42 percent and there was no BJP candidate. However, this time there is BJP candidate with Modi factor and Rana's work for Hindutva and in Melghat,'' Bonde said.

In 2019, Rana defeated undivided Adsul by 36,951 votes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)