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Rebels, anti-incumbency keep BJP on its toes in North Maharashtra

The absence of veteran leader Eknath Khadse from the scene is also a talking point. In 2014, Khadse vigorously campaigned in North Maharashtra and won all the seats.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party had won all the six Lok Sabha seats in North Maharashtra. However, faced with anti-incumbency and internal revolt it is an uphill task for the party cadre to recreate the 2014 magic once again.

The absence of veteran leader Eknath Khadse from the scene is also a talking point. In 2014, Khadse vigorously campaigned in North Maharashtra and won all the seats. However, North Maharashtra's responsibility is entrusted with senior BJP minister Girish Mahajan. Mahajan is also the blue-eyed boy and troubleshooter for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Talking with DNA, Mahajan said that they are very much confident of winning all the six seats in North Maharashtra. He said that the revolt by the party leaders did not matter as long as local cadre is with the party. 

"We have shown the results in Dhule corporation when our local BJP MLA went against us. He won only one seat while we got the majority. Therefore, I wish good luck to our rebels," Mahajan claimed.

In Jalgaon Lok Sabha, the sitting MP AT Patil was denied the ticket citing his viral objectionable photos in social media. Then, the BJP nominated its MLC Smita Wagh. On the last day of nominations, Ms Wagh was asked to withdraw her nominations. Wagh was replaced with reluctant BJP MLA Unmesh Patil. Unmesh Patil was unwilling to contest Lok Sabha but the party pushed him to contest.

"The BJP cadre is confused and demoralised due to various sudden changes. And these changes were not made by taking local leader into confidence. While on the other hand, NCP nominee Gulabrao Deokar had taken the lead in the campaign. Now, BJP has to cover a lot of ground and battle against anti-incumbency and uncompleted irrigations project like Padalsare. This project needed Rs 1800 crore while irrigations minister Girish Mahajan allotted only Rs 22 crore," said Ranjeet Shinde, political commentator from Jalgaon.

The same blunder has done at Dindori. BJP leadership replaced the sitting MP Harishchandra Chavan with NCP leader Bharati Pawar. Harishchandra Chavan had refused to campaign against the party nominee in this poll. While in Nandurbar, the local leaders including tourism minister Jaikumar Rawal were against repeating BJP MP Dr Heena Gavit in Nandurbar Lok Sabha seat.

In Nasik, BJP rebellion ex MLA Manikrao Kokate had filed the nominations against the Shiv Sena MP Hemant Godse on Tuesday. Godse is contesting against NCP candidate Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal. In this entire scenario, only the sigh of relief for BJP is its Raver seat where estranged leader Eknath Khadse's daughter in law Raksha Khdase is contesting. She is facing Congress nominee Dr Ulhas Patil who in 2014, got only 40,000 votes as an independent candidate. Furthermore, Khadse local connect may help his daughter in law win.

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