DESPITE the Modi wave sweeping the entire nation, three-time Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir, who has a rich political experience, tasted defeat at the hands of a relative newcomer Congress’ Suresh alias Balu Dhanorkar. Ahir’s defeat has come as a shock to senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra. The grassroots workers of the party, however, had kept their fingers crossed gauging the mood of the people.

 

Ahir polled 5,14,744 as against Dhanorkar who got 5,59,507 votes in the results declared on Thursday. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate Rajendra Mahadole stood third securing 1,12,079 votes in the elections.

Dhanorkar received a major lead in four Assembly segments of Ballarpur, Chandrapur, Rajura and Warora. Ahir polled good number of votes in Mul, Arni and Wani segments in Yavatmal district. His lead in Arni was a spectacular 57,696 and 2000 in Wani, but that could not ensure his victory.

 

Dhanorkar managed to get major lead from Chandrapur - 25,000 votes, Ballarpur - 30,500 votes, Rajura - 36,000 votes and Warora - 12,000 votes. Dhanorkar’s highest lead came from Ballarpur, the home turf of cabinet minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. Ahir’s poor show in Assembly segments of Rajura, Chandrapur and Ballarpur, where sitting MLAs are BJP’s Sanjay Dhote, Nana Shamkule and Sudhir Mungantiwar respectively, can be indicative of tougher times ahead for these MLAs with Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

 

Despite winning the 2014 Lok Sabha election with huge majority of 2.5 lakh votes, the Ahir camp did not seem very confident this time. His close aides exuded no big confidence and predictions of victory by a narrower margin were being made. Ahir lost by a margin of 44,763 votes in Chandrapur-Arni-Wani constituency.

 

Political pundits are attributing the defeat of the stalwart like Ahir despite a Modi wave in most parts of the country, to many factors. Many believe that four-time MP suffered due to anti-incumbency factor. Some others attributed it to Ahir’s failure in bringing an ‘iconic’ project to Chandrapur despite him being in the ministry for last four and half years. He also failed to keep his promise to bring urea unit at Bhadravati.

 

Many demands regarding new industries, new trains were left unfulfilled and many other problems remained unsolved, according to observers.As against that, Dhanorkar, despite being a newcomer to Congress party (from Shiv Sena) adopted newer strategies to vow party workers, supporters and people. Activists of Nationalist Congress Party and Congress were seen working dedicatedly for him. Moreover, caste-based votes of Kunbi, Muslim and Dalit also helped Dhanorkar win the election.Dhanorkar’s victory gave something to rejoice to the Congress workers who were upset over the party receiving a severe beating in the entire country.