Power rolls in Convoys of leaders turn city into luxury motorcade zone

 

 

The Winter Session of the Maharashtra Legislature has returned to Nagpur, restoring the familiar annual churn that began as a political obligation under the 1953 Nagpur Pact. Seven decades later, the ritual continues with clockwork precision even as the region’s structural concerns remain largely unresolved. Yet the spectacle surrounding the session has evolved dramatically, and nothing captures this shift more sharply than the convoy culture now dominating Nagpur’s roads. A state once held up as the country’s most progressive investment destination now confronts a slowdown that has cost it several marquee projects and the economic momentum that came with them. But the personal economic trajectories of many political leaders tell a different story.

 

Their choice of transport has transformed from the once-standard SUVs to an array of high-end luxury imports rarely accessible to ordinary citizens. This contrast has become the most visible and jarring subplot of the session. The streets around Vidhan Bhavan and leading towards it now luxury vehicles like Toyota Land Cruisers touching Rs 2 crore, Toyota Vellfires priced around Rs 1.3 crore, and Mercedes GLS, and Land Rover Defender models in the same bracket, all flaunting MLA or MLC stickers.

 

These vehicles glide through city traffic with an ease that underscores both authority and affluence. Even leaders not yet in the league of ultra-luxury imports still move in Toyota Fortuners, each costing above Rs 30 lakh. The gap between political representation and public lived reality widens in every passing convoy. The ripple effect extends to party cadres. Near Vidhan Bhavan, Ravi Bhavan, and the MLA Hostel, rows of general SUVs models stay lined up, packed with party workers. What was once a space dominated by modest transport now resembles an exhibition of India’s booming utility-vehicle market.

 

The state transport buses running from Vidhan Bhavan to Ravi Bhavan and MLA hostel, largely run empty throughout the day. Experts have cited this two catalysts for this shift this session. The IndiGo airlines crisis, the operational disruptions that left thousands reconsidering air travel and pushed many leaders to opt for road journeys. The second factor, the Samruddhi Mahamarg, has made travel from most parts of Maharashtra to Nagpur a very convenient affair. The expressway offers speed, comfort, and predictability, enabling leaders to cover distances in their high-end machines while avoiding airport delays and logistical friction. As the winter session progresses, Nagpur’s political core remains busy with debates and deliberations. But outside the assembly hall, the luxury convoys have become a hard to miss commentary on how power now moves, literally, through the State.