MVA’s Wanjari scores historic victory in BJP citadel

 

Adv Abhijit Wanjari of Congress, backed by Maha Vikas Aaghadi (MVA) has emerged as a giant killer breaking the over 50-long-year forte of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Nagpur Graduates’ Constituency. Adv Wanjari has trounced his nearest rival Sandip Joshi of BJP and allies with a margin of 18,710 votes.

 

This election was being watched by people of the country as it remained a stronghold of BJP for the last 58 years. Everybody was curious to know the results. It remained the stronghold of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the then Bharatiya Jansangh.

 

The elections of this constituency began in 1958 and stalwarts of BJP or Bharatiya Jansangh like Bachhraj Vyas, Shridhar Sohoni, Vishnu Deshpande, Ramjivan Chaudhary, Dr Motiram Lahane, Dr Pramila Tople, Gangadharrao Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari and Prof Anil Sole have won the elections.

 

This relationship of this constituency with BJP was so close that it had become an integral part of the party. Several people are not aware but Nitin Gadkari who remained invincible for five terms, once won unopposed. His successor Prof Anil Sole too won comfortably.

 

Against that backdrop the victory of Adv Wanjari is considered as historic. When BJP announced name of Sandip Joshi, everybody in the party assumed he was the winner. Nobody ever thought that Adv Wanjari could win the elections. But there was some curiosity among people and party workers. It was thought that the result might be out by evening of December 3, the counting day. But administrative machinery got entangled in correcting certain errors on the part of voters leading to delay. Secondly, no candidate could complete the quota of votes so the machinery had to calculate second preferential votes.

 

The votes secured by candidates other than Sandip Joshi, Adv Abhijit Wanjari and Atuldada Khobragade after last round are Rajendra Kumar Chaudhari 233, Engineer Rahul Wankhede 3,752, Adv Sunita Patil 207, Amit Meshram 58, Prashant Dekate 1,518, Nitin Ronghe 522, Nilesh Karale 6,889, Dr Prakash Ramteke 189, Ajay Taywade 88, Adv Mohd Shakir A Gaffar 61, CA Rajendra Bhutada 1,537, Dr Vinod Raut 174, Adv Virendra Kumar Jaiswal 66, Sharad Jivtode 37, Prof Sangita Badhe 120, Engineer Sanjay Nasre 56.

 

 

 

“I attribute success of my victory to all senior leaders of Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, various organisations, their volunteers, office-bearers. Without their active supports in campaign I wouldn’t have won the election,” said Adv Abhijit Wanjari, after receiving certificate from Divisional Commissioner Dr Sanjeev Kumar. Adv Wanjari was the candidate of Maha Vikas Aaghadi (MVA). He was interacting with mediapersons at Mankapur Sports Complex where counting for Nagpur Graduate polls was held.

 

 

“Congress had not taken this election seriously in the past because of which voters never reached polling centres. This time we did house to house campaigning and requested people to come out and vote. It worked,” informed MLA and President of Nagpur City Congress Vikas Thakre.

 

 

“This time we made an organisational planning. All our leaders came together and selected pockets, focussed our campaign. This micro-planning did give us lead. There was winning instinct in everybody’s work. Everyone worked for the victory,” explained Rajendra Mulak, President of Nagpur District Congress.

 

 

Ramtek MP Krupal Tumane said, “The victory of Adv Wanjari shows that people have accepted MVA. Now people realised it is MVA that would work for people’s welfare. This victory is an indication of MVA’s stay in State.”

 

 

“It is the collective effort of all the members of Maha Vikas Aaghadi that we could clinch victory for Abhijit. In last one year our Government in State worked hard and as a result we secured victory. I think it is people’s response to us,” said Sunil Kedar, Minister of Animal Husbandry.

 

 

 

The total votes including the postal ones polled were 1,33,53,000, of which 11,560 votes were found invalid. So administration calculated the quota of the 1,21,493 valid votes through single transferable preferential election system that came to 60,747.

 

There were five rounds and by the end of last round no candidate could complete the quota as Adv Wanjari secured 55,947, Sandip Joshi got 41,540, Atul Khobragade and Nilesh Karale could muster 8,499 and 6,889, respectively.

The administration started elimination round where second preference votes were to be considered. It continued till 17th round.It was Adv Abhijit Wanjari who completed the quota and reached 61,701 and was declared winner by Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner and Election Officer at 2.30 pm on Friday.