VIDARBHA WILL SEE CRUCIAL BATTLE IN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra ☐ is preparing for a fierce political showdown in the upcoming state Assembly elections, set for a single phase on November 20, 2024.

- TIKAM SHARMA

This key cottonproducing area, with 62 Assembly seats, is expected to play a significant role in determining the next state government. The contest is heating up between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with special focus on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its arch-rival, the grand old party, Congress. These two major parties will directly compete in 36 of the 62 seats, making Vidarbha a pivotal battleground that could shape Maharashtra's political landscape for the next five years.

Vidarbha, comprising 11 districts-Nagpur, Chandrapur, Amravati, Akola, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Buldhana, Gondia, Wardha, Washim, and Yavatmal-was once a Congress stronghold.

However, the party began losing its grip on the region in the 1990s as BJP made significant inroads. For nearly three decades, Vidarbha remained aligned with the BJPShiv Sena coalition. BJP's tacit support for the demand for a separate Vidarbha state helped it gain favour among voters, though the issue was never fully pursued due to Shiv Sena's opposition under Bal Thackeray's leadership.