How lone crusader put Congress on victory lap

NAGPUR: The headquarters of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) emerged as Congress’ sole winning ground in a round of Legislative Council elections that covered 28 graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka.Abhijit Wanjarri’s re-election from Nagpur’s graduates’ constituency gave the party its only victory in the four-state tally, though the wider results favoured the BJP-led NDA, which won 16 of the 28 seats, with BJP securing 13 on its own.For Congress, the fact that this lone victory happened in hometown of Union minister Nitin Gadkari and CM Devendra Fadnavis, gave the grand old party enough reason to cheer. BJP had appointed revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, as the poll in-charge.Wanjari defeated BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale by 3,271 votes to retain the seat for a second consecutive term. He polled 67,231 votes against Kohale’s 63,960 after the counting process moved beyond first preferences. The result extended Congress’ tenure in a constituency long associated with the BJP and its predecessor, the Jan Sangh.Independent candidate Nitesh Karale, who contested after breaking away from NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), emerged as a major third force, securing 24,249 votes by the second round. In the end, his second preference votes helped Wanjarri to scrape through in the intensely fierce battle, that lasted for almost two daysWanjarri’s support among teachers and educational networks also proved significant. He reportedly received backing from around 35 teachers’ organisations. His association with Nagpur University’s Senate and his links with educational institutions helped consolidate support among graduates and teachers across the division’s six districts.The win builds on Wanjarri’s 2020 victory, when he defeated BJP candidate Sandip Joshi by more than 18,000 votes, ending the party’s long hold on the seat. The constituency’s history stretches back to 1958, when Jan Sangh leader Bachhraj Vyas won it. Subsequent representatives included Shridhar Sohoni, Vishnu Deshpande, Ramjivan Chaudhary, Dr Motiram Lahane, Dr Pramila Tople, Gangadharrao Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari and Anil Sole.Gangadharrao Fadnavis, the chief minister’s father, represented the seat in 1978 and 1984. Gadkari won it four times, in 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008.Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocked Congress over its failure to win seats in the four states despite voting being conducted through ballot papers, a method the party has repeatedly advocated in its criticism of electronic voting machines. Wanjarri’s victory gives Congress a counterpoint, even as it remains shut out of the other MLC contests cited.The BJP’s setback also followed an internal dispute over its candidate. Former MLC Anil Sole, who represented the constituency from 2014 to 2020, entered the contest as an Independent after being denied the party ticket. His decision exposed discontent over the selection process. Sole criticised the move towards top-down candidate selection, saying party workers were no longer consulted as they had been earlier. Though Sole backed out of the campaign, he remained on the ballot paper as the withdrawal date had passed. Sole secured over 200 votes.For Congress, the victory was more about “where” it happened rather than absolute numbers. For now, BJP has to wait for another six years before it can try to regain its traditional seat.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Nagpur | Silver Rate in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur | Petrol Price in Nagpur | Diesel Price in Nagpur | CNG Price in Nagpur | LPG Price in NagpurStay updated with the latest Nagpur news. Download the TOI App.