Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: Maratha names, Modi factor clinched victory in Marathwada

Marathwada has always been a Shiv Sena stronghold; and has lately been nurtured by BJP so it was no surprise when the allies won all seats. Aurangabad was the arena for a four-corner fight, with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's (AIMIM) Imtiyaz Jaleel winning the seat. BJP MP Raosaheb Danave won for the third time in Jalna while BJP's Pratap Chikhalikar defeated state Congress chief Ashok Chavan. 

The Sena-BJP's winning strategy was to field notable Maratha candidates who played a major role during the Maratha agitations. "In contrast," says one political observer, "Congress and NCP fielded dynasts. Shiv Sena candidates faced a huge anti-incumbency sentiment, but the Modi factor saved them."

Moreover, Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) divided the Congress-NCP votes. In Nanded, Ashok Chavan lost by 32,000 votes while the VBA candidate won more than 50,000 votes.

Sena's Omraje Nimbalkar defeated NCP's Jagjit Singh Rana in Osmanabad, and in Beed, Pritam Munde, daughter of senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde fought off NCP's Bajrang Sonawane to retain her seat. Beed was prestigious as Munde's first cousin Dhananjay Munde (NCP) was entrusted with wresting it from her. 

In Parbhani, Sena's Sanjay Jadhav defeated NCP's Rajesh Vitekar and in Latur, Sudhakar Shrangare ( BJP) defeated Machindra Kamat (Cong). Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav retained his Buldhana seat against NCP candidate Rajendra Shingane, while Hemant Patil (Sena) defeated Subhash Wankhede (Cong) in Hingoli.