Elections 2019: Will Cong's 'DMK' card be BJP's undoing in Nagpur?

Nitin Gadkari who rose to national prominence unparalleled for any other politician from Nagpur has been banking on the citys truly noncasteist approach in selecting Lok Sabha candidates and his developmental work However his principal opponent the Congress party is banking heavily on its DMK or Dalit Muslim Kunbi approach against himThe consolidation if it happens will be a rare phenomenon for the segment that has elected a person from a micro minority caste on most occasions For Gadkari 2014s landslide win was his firstever success in the elections of massive proportionsAlso ReadManeka Gandhi Mayawati saudagar of tickets not loyal to anyoneThings on the development front seem to have changed for the city because of the sustained efforts in the past five years by Gadkari and another Nagpurian Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis What challenges Gadkaris candidature is the undercurrent that the DMK Dalit Muslim and Kunbi factor might turn the tide against a Brahmin like him The union minister insists that the people know his nature and that he has never discriminated against any community religion or casteNitin Gadkari campaigns in Nagpur PicSunny ShendeHas DMK really workedSince the first general election the voters at Nagpur have elected the representatives from communities that have a negligible presence They included Brahmins a Parsi a Marwari and a Komti who won for a record four terms A couple of Kunbis also won The BJP emerged successful only twice in a seat that has been the Congress stronghold for years The emergence of caste equation has added to the anxiety in the BJP and the Congress camps The Dalit Muslims and Kunbis together have a 40 share in Nagpurs 22 lakh registered votersVeteran journalist Joseph Rao said the undercurrent was prominent in this election The DMK is surely a fear factor for the BJP But even if happens not all vote share would get away from Gadkari who also has the OBCs especially Kunbis holding offices in the legislature municipal corporation and statecontrolled corporations and are seen as influential in their castes said RaoRao said the Dalits in Nagpur were more concerned than any other community Prakash Ambedkar Jogendra Kawade Surekha Kumbhare and others dont command the community anymore The community may go with the Congress he saidCong candidate Nana Patole campaign in Nagpur PicsSunny ShendeLike Gadkari not BJPGadkari has worked hard for the city But we dont like BJP as a political party a Muslim leader said Another decisive share comes from the Halba weavers community which is upset because the BJP has not fulfilled a promise for reservations in jobs and education To his credit Gadkari has many achievements that have given him a tag Nagpurs Pride In his tenure the city got an IIM an IIIT an AIIMS a national law university and companies like Infosys TCS Patanjali and the assembly plant for Rafale jets All this has come up in MIHAN the industrial hub on the outskirts of the cityThe Congress says the projects and educational institutes would serve no purpose as far as Gadkaris promise of creating 120 lakh jobs for the local youth is concerned All India educational institutes would not admit students only from Vidarbha but from across the country MIHAN hasnt turned out to be what it was supposed to be says Nana Patole Congress candidateAlso ReadElection 2019 Mayawati terms Congress manifesto as facade says it has deceived people in pastPatole says the metro rail wasnt needed at all Influential people have grabbed the land along the metro rail We will probe the agreement if we come to power said PatolePatole had emerged a giantkiller in 2014 when as BJP nominee he beat senior NCP leader Praful Patel He did not predict the victory margin he expects to get on April 11On the other hand Gadkari said he would surpass his 2014 victory margin of around 3 lakh I will win at least by five lakh votes I am sure people will never vote on communal lines he saidAlso ReadElections 2019 BJP gives in to Shiv Sena demand fields Manoj Kotak not Kirit SomaiyaCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates