MUMBAI: Shiv Sena has decided to focus on BJP’s stronghold Vidarbha region elects 65 MLAs out of total of 288 members of the Maharashtra state assembly.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut who is in the Vidarbha region said that Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has asked to focus on the Vidarbha region and strengthen and expand the party base.
Sanjay Raut said that Nagpur is Hindutva land so naturally Shiv Sena has decided to focus on it. “Once Shiv Sena had got great tractions in Vidarbha belt, we want to refocus on this region to increase our MLA tally in next State assembly elections. Shiv Sena is strong in Mumbai, Thane and another urban belt. Now, the Vidarbha region is our next main target to expand the party base by inducting more and more workers and leaders. Nagpur is the winter capital of Maharashtra. Environment minister Aaditya Thackeray will also come on the Vidarbha tour soon. We are devising a big strategy to increase our assembly tally,” Raut said.
Interestingly, the Congress party has also decided to focus on the Vidarbha region. Once it was a stronghold of the Congress, the Congress used to get maximum MLAs from this region only. But in recent times, BJP cultivated this Congress stronghold into BJP’s stronghold under the strong leadership of union minister Nitin Gadkari and former chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.
In the recent local body elections, Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Vidarbha region by winning as many as Taluka panchayat and local bodies. It was a big setback for BJP and its leadership. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole who comes from the Vidarbha region is also focusing here to turn Congress into the main force in Maharashtra politics.
Political observer says that Shiv Sena may not win many seats in Vidarbha, but they will surely damage the prospect of the BJP by dividing Hindutva votes. “Vidarbha region helped the BJP to reach power in Maharashtra by winning the highest numbers of MLAs. If Shiv Sena happens to damage the prospect of the BJP, then it will be a big setback to BJP’s prospects in the coming elections. And, it will indirectly benefit the Congress that is a strong emerging force here,” the political observer added.