Triangular fight on cards in Ramtek by-polls

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Nagpur, Apr 8 (UNI) A tough triangular fight is on the cards for tomorrow's by-election from Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency in Vidarbha region, where two of the prominent candidates are rebels from their parties.

Although 12 candidates are in the fray in the constituency, the real fight is between Subodh Mohite, who resigned from the Shiv Sena to join the Congress, thus necessiating the bypoll, and was fielded by the party, Prakash Jadhav of the Shiv Sena, and Congress rebel Ranjit Deshmukh, contesting as an independent candidate.

The Minister for Heavy Industries in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, Mr Mohite has won twice from Ramtek in 1999 and 2004 as a Shiv Sena nominee, and is also hoping that the balance will tilt in his favour this time too as he has been fielded by the Congress party, which is the major partner in the governments, both at the Centre and in the state.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena nominee, Prakash Jadhav, is laying stress on the 'loyalty' angle, with his party dubbing Mr Mohite as a ''traitor, who quit the very party because of which he rose in his political career.'' The Shiv Sena is highlighting in its campaign issues like farmers' suicides and power shortage in Vidarbha, and is harping on the alleged failures of the Democratic Front (DF) government in power in the state.

Congress rebel Ranjit Deshmukh is banking on the discontent against the Congress and Shiv Sena to see him through in the by-poll. In his campaign, Mr Deshmukh has highlighted the problems of farmers, especially the large number of suicides in the region. Mr Deshmukh asserts that he is in the fray not for personal gains but to highlight the problems of farmers in the region.

Although it is the third Lok Sabha election for Mr Mohite, it is the first for Mr Jadhav as well as Mr Deshmukh.

The battle for Ramtek, where Kalidasa is supposed to have written the 'Meghdootam,' has become prestigious for both, the Congress as well as the Shiv Sena. The Congress wants to prove that Ramtek is still its bastion and that the two victories of the Shiv Sena in 1999 and 2004 were exceptions that could be attributed more to Mr Mohite's personal charisma than the saffron brigade's hold in the constituency.

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