Maharashtra elections: BJP ahead but Congress can spring a surprise in the battle of doctors

GADCHIROLI: Despite being a clear favourite, sitting BJP MLA Dr Deorao Holi is leaving no stones unturned to avoid any upset. Holi, former Gadchiroli government hospital’s doctor, is pitted against Congress’s Dr Chanda Kodwate in the seat reserved for scheduled tribe.

Dr Chanda, MD in anaesthesia, was husband Dr Nitin’s right hand in managing their private hospital on the Chandrapur Road until her ticket was finalized.

Congress had reserved this seat for a woman candidate.

Dr Nitin was seeking Congress ticket in the Lok Sabha election held earlier this year but it was Dr Namdeo Usendi, former MLA and current district Congress president, who was preferred. This time too Dr Nitin and Dr Usendi were in the fray but the ticket went to Dr Chanda, a new entrant in politics, leaving many stunned.

In 2009, Dr Usendi had won this seat for Congress defeating the then MLA Ashok Nete who is now a Member of Parliament. Dr Holi had a cakewalk in 2014 riding on the Narendra Modi wave, defeating NCP’s Bhagyashri Atram, daughter of former minister Dharmarao, by 51,905 votes.

He realizes Dr Chanda may not be a strong challenge, but the sitting MLA is cover maximum areas of the three tehsils — Gadchiroli, Chamorshi and Dhanora — under this constituency, promising to take his ‘Make in Gadchiroli’ and other projects ahead to create employment for tribals and others and ensuring economic growth.

His biggest challenge would be to reclaim faith of the OBCs who are miffed with the BJP for failing to keep its promise of increasing the existing 6% reservation for the community to restore it to 19% as in the past.

Holi claimed that he has managed to convince around 40,000-50,000 of the OBC voters to support him. Dr Chanda said it would still be the MLA’s Achilles heel. “BJP has done grave injustice to OBCs by giving them a false hope in 2014. I will fight for their rights,” she said.

Dr Chanda, who will enjoy backing of traditional Congress vote bank in Dhanora tehsil, said that she would be particularly focusing on women and mother’s health and reducing malnutrition among children, which is a major issue in the tribal belt.

“I am already rendering my service as a doctor along with my husband for the last four years in the district. Seeking votes is an extension of this work,” she said.

“Vanchit Bahujan aghadi (VBA), represented by Gopal Magare, won’t play spoilsport for Congress’s prospect like it did in the LS poll by denying it Dalit and other backward class votes. Voters have already realized that VBA is a BJP branch,” she said and added that she has a similar feeling about Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) represented by Akshamlal Shidam.

Dr Chanda claimed NCP and other allies have become active for her but many BJP supporters didn’t agree. “We don’t know whether it is a monetary issue or question of leadership, NCP and Congress workers are lying dormant,” said a BJP office bearer.

“Many senior Congress were seated at home until leader of opposition in assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and senior leader Mukul Wasnik visited the constituency,” he said.

Dr Holi, who also enjoys considerable support of around 10,000-15,000 Bengali voters of Chamorshi after having helped them with property ownership rights, said that Dr Chanda is not only a newcomer but also essentially an outsider.