Ground Reports
Vibes Of Vidarbha, Dispatch 7: How Micro Politics Beats Macro Strategy In Yavatmal-Washim
- The road to political victory is rarely straightforward and often built on the power of micro-level interactions and personal rapport.
Delhi Gate Karanja Lad is an old historical Gate of the Karanja town fort (Jayant Wadatkar/Wikimedia Commons)
All three places that we will traverse in this piece viz. Yavatmal, Pohradevi and Karanja are part of the Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency.
Sanjay Deshmukh from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) (SS-UBT) defeated the Shiv Sena (SHS) candidate here by 94,000 votes in the recently held parliamentary elections.
Yavatmal: Rising Frustrations And Transactional Politics
My day began at Yavatmal, where I met 28-year-old Suraj Borkar, a young hotel manager. He says upfront that he is a Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) supporter.
He began with a rant on the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Apparently, Suraj's friends were invited to attend a rally in Washim, with promises of some allowances. However, these promises fell short — torn saris and unpaid dues led to disappointment. He expressed how such small transactional issues can overshadow larger policy matters, indicating a shift towards pragmatic, transactional politics in this place.
Suraj senses growing resentment against the local MLA, driven not by ideology or policy but by broken promises. He admits that there is a massive influence of money and gifts during elections.
Suraj also expressed his discontent with the Agniveer program. This initiative has left some feeling uncertain about its long-term benefits and stability. This sentiment reflects broader frustrations among Vidarbha’s youth, who are increasingly vocal about job security and career opportunities.
There is palpable agri-distress here, with relief coming from only from schemes like the Krishi Samman Nidhi. Although the state has supplemented these efforts, many locals believe more needs to be done, especially with irrigation improvements. There is anger with the existing MSP regime (which we saw in Dispatch 1).
Yavatmal, like much of Vidarbha, shows little enthusiasm for the Maratha agitation, with its primary concerns centred on agriculture-related issues, power shortages in rural areas, irregular water supply, etc.
The BJP has fielded two-time MLA and incumbent Madan Yerawar, while the Congress, Prahar Jan Shakti Party, BSP, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (a left-wing outfit) form a divided opposition to the Mahayuti.
Yavatmal provides another buttress to my thesis that all of Vidharbha, and in fact, Maharashtra will be decided based on local factors, especially the candidate. The party that focuses best on the minutiae of election management will win that particular constituency.
Pohradevi, Washim District — BJP's Big Vanjara Outreach
I was denied entry into the massive newly constructed Banjara Museum, which was inaugurated by PM Modi recently. Apparently, visitors will be allowed only after a couple of months when the patchwork is completed.
Just outside the museum, I met Sanjay Gaikwad, a Dalit visitor from nearby Umarkhed, who expressed disappointment at being barred from entering. He unfortunately saw the incident as emblematic of ongoing discrimination.
In Umarkhed, Scheduled Castes and Tribes hold significant sway, and Sanjay anticipates a close contest. He says people do not care about Congress or BJP and they will vote based on candidates. His own loyalty tilts towards the BJP, especially with cash transfers. He particularly admires Prime Minister Modi and sees him as a beacon of hope for the poor.
He acknowledges the weight of unemployment, a burden keenly felt in his village. Sanjay's wife is upset about the rising prices of gas cylinders but praised the local hospital services, recalling her positive experience there during childbirth.
Pohradevi falls under the Karanja Assembly constituency. Rajendra Patni, a two-time BJP MLA, has passed away. Sai Prakash Dahake from the BJP will face Gayak Patni from the Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP–SP). Dahake, a former NCP MLA, was the runner-up in the previous election by 23,000 votes. The Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) candidate could potentially spoil the MVA’s chances.
Local issues, particularly around social and candidate-based factors, are expected to drive this election rather than broader topics like Maratha agitations. Social engineering will be the key factor here. The RSS has planned to hold 75,000 small meetings across Maharashtra, with some already taking place in this constituency.
Karanja, Washim District: Migration And Economic Struggles
In Karanja, I met Avinash Gawande and Rajesh Kamte, both painters in Pune. They have come home only for Diwali. Like many in Karanja, Avinash's family relies on seasonal farming, growing soybeans and toor dal. However, the lack of robust irrigation and fluctuating MSPs make farming a precarious endeavor, though they are able to grow one crop. The MSP for soybean is around Rs 4300 per quintal. But he gets only Rs 3800 in the market
Government schools are present, but many still choose private schooling due to quality concerns. Drinking water is a major issue here. With minimal job opportunities locally, migration remains a necessity for many, fuelling economic strain on families left behind.
Strategically located along the magnificent Samruddhi Expressway, Karanja in Washim has developed an economy around this major roadway. This constituency is heavily divided along communal lines, with approximately 50 per cent Muslim and 40 per cent Hindu populations. Yusuf Punjani is a major political operator for the MVA here.
BJP needs to not only consolidate Hindu votes but also make sure that the opposition votes are dispersed to challenge Congress effectively."Batenge to katenge" and "Ek hai to safe hai" hold really true for this constituency. So much depends on the local political strategy!
Avinash expresses a clear preference for the BJP, driven in part by cash transfer benefits. However, he also cites an anti-Muslim sentiment in his community, indicating undercurrents of counter-polarisation. The assistant at the petrol station said that he would vote for the MVA candidate, but felt the VBA candidate, Sunil Dhabekar, may play spoilsport.
As regional sentiment in Vidarbha underscores, the road to political victory here is rarely straightforward and often built on the power of micro-level interactions and personal rapport.
It is clear that these communities prioritise local issues — water, irrigation, MSP and basic amenities — over broader political movements. In places like Yavatmal and Pohradevi, candidates will be judged not by their party affiliations but by their capacity to deliver on promises.
Earlier dispatches in the 'Vibes of Vidarbha' series:
