Ahmednagar district, known for district of stalwart leaders are witnessing personality-based fights rather than emphasis being on the party or its ideology. Hence, those with traditional network is expected to comfortably sail through this elections.
Is there a district-specific issue?
There is a no specific issue across the district. Every assembly constituency has its own issues and local equations and no party is a favourite. Moreover, a party and its certain ideology no longer holds water because most of the Congress-NCP sitting legislators are contesting the elections on saffron party tickets. So, the fight now centers around the individual, his work and his image.
What is the traditional voter base?
The traditional voter base in Ahmednagar district mostly includes employees of sugar factories, dairy business and colleges.
How many constituencies in Ahmednagar?
Ahmednagar district consist of 12 assembly constituencies.
Who are the prominent contenders?
Sitting Congress legislators Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil from Shirdi and Balasaheb Thorat from Sangamner are very powerful leaders. The BJP and Shiv Sena candidates will find it very difficult to make inroads into these respective leaders' constituencies. In the other ten assembly constituencies, there is expected to be a neck-to-neck fight.
Why is the fight so unpredictable?
The split between the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena-BJP have made the state assembly elections unpredictable. Each party is pulling out all stops to see its candidate win. Dyaneswhar Bhalekar, a resident of Ralegaon Siddhi said, "This time there is a no straight fight between any two prominent candidates. Most of the traditional political and social equations have changed. Due to the multi-cornered fights, it is difficult to predict that who will get elected," Bhalekar added.
Jayant Sasane, former legislator and former president of Sai Sansthan, Shirdi, said, "In our districts, all political parties have pitched strong candidates, making the fight unpredictable," said Sasane.
Expertspeak
Political observer Bal Bothe said, "Except three constituencies -- Shriarampur, Jamkhed and Parner, in other remaining constituencies no one has a solid back-up of the sugar factory and educations institutions employees. Those candidates employed in sugar factories, schools and colleges by default get ready made resource pool for campaigning," said political observer.
Bothe added, "Every candidate himself has his own brand. Their's is a personality and family-based constituencies where party and its ideology does not make a difference. People vote for the person not for the party," he said.
Ahmednagar Demographics
As per 2011 census, Ahmednagar district has recorded a population of 4.5 lakh -- the majority of population in Ahmednagar was Marathas but other minorities including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians are in smaller numbers but their votes are also important due to the multi-corner fights. The reason the victory margin will be very wafer thin and small numbers here and there can change the result.
Big Fights Constituency
Shrigonda --- Babanrao Pachpute (BJP) Versus Rahul Jagtap (NCP)
Akole --- Vaibhav Pichad (NCP) versus Ashok Bhambre (BJP)
Kopergaon --- Ashutosh Kale (Shivsena) versus Snehalat Kolhe (BJP)
Nevasa --- Shankarao Gadakh (NCP) versus Balasaheb Murkute (BJP)
Shegaon --- Monica Rajale (BJP) versus Chandrashekhar Ghule (NCP)
Rahuri --- Usha Tanpure (Shivsena) versus Shivajirao Kardile (BJP)
Parner --- Vijay Awati (Shivsena) versus Babasaheb Tambe (BJP)
Nagar City --- Anil Rathod ( Shivsena) versus Sangram Jagtap (NCP)
Jamkhed – Ram Shinde (BJP) versus Jaisingh Phalke (NCP)
Shrirampur – Bhausaheb Kamble (Congress) versus Bhausaheb Wakchaure (BJP)
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