BJP holds meet at spacious hall, Cong workers gather at college
   Date :23-May-2019

 MLA and city chief of BJP Sudhakar Kohale addressing the meet of party workers on Wednesday. Other leaders of the party look on. (Right) Congress’ Ashwin Agrawal addressing the party workers as the party’s candidate Nana Patole, Abhijeet Wanjari, city chief Vikas Thakre and others look on. (Pics by Satish Raut)
 
Principal Correspondent:
 
While meeting of leaders, volunteers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pre-counting of Lok Sabha elections held at the spacious hall of Shikshak Sahakari Bank, the Congress workers gathered at Adv Ahbijeet Wanjari’s Kamla Nehru College. During these meetings, BJP’s Dhantoli and Tilak Putla offices the venue of the party’s various documental works. The Congress office at Devdia Bhavan was locked. A couple of days before, exit polls were out and all predicted thumping majority for BJP and victory of NDA. Against this backdrop background placidity was palpable in BJP meet as the party leaders told the volunteers not to overestimate the situation. They guided the volunteers, most of them are likely to be present during counting as party representatives.
 
The volunteers were busy taking jotting notes of every minute information sincerely. Those present were cautioned of the Opposition ploy to create ruckus. On the contrary, Congress leaders and volunteers discussed exit polls more and were racing to prove how those exit polls were fake. They were more interested in grilling election officers on issues of EVM and VVPAT.
 
Their leaders addressed the issue more keenly. Congress’ candidate from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency Nana Patole along with Abhijeet Wanjari, Vikas Thakre, Anil Wadpalliwar, Vishal Muttemwar, Ashwin Agrawal addressed the party workers. Though BJP meet was held sans the party’s candidate Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, it was attended by a galaxy of leaders including Prof Anil Sole, Sudhakar Kohale, Krishna Khopde, Sudharkar Deshmukh, Sandip Joshi, Pravin Datke, Vikas Kumbhare, Dr Milind Mane, Mayor Nanda Jichkar, Girish Vyas, Bhojraj Dumbe, Virendra Kukreja and others. In both the meetings respective volunteers were given tips and guidelines for monitoring their areas during counting of votes on Thursday.
 
They were also told to bring to the notice of the officer concerned if they noticed anything improper. BJP workers were bubbling with enthusiasm while Congress workers were visibly low in confidence. Similar positive atmosphere in BJP camp was witnessed at Gadkari’s house ‘Bhakti’ in Ram Nagar. Here, a big screen has been put up and sitting arrangement to accommodate more persons has been made for counting updates. Sources informed ‘The Hitavada’ that Nitin Gadkari had gone to Dhapewada with family and he is likely to return to city by midnight. Gadkari could not be contacted as repeated attempts to get his comment on the eve of counting failed.
 
I am hopeful, says Patole
 
“Nitin Gadkari is huge leader no doubt but can I not remain hopeful? Exit polls are not the final outcome. I shall not call it fake but the way BJP is dancing as if it has won the election is laughable. I heard, BJP has kept its Vijayrath ready to take out rally. This is overestimation. I would not say, I would win or not but I have given tough fight. Allegations were made that we brought caste equation but it is false. In fact, people did not talk about development,” said Nana Patole.