11 May,2024 08:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BJP candidate Pankaja Munde during her campaign trail at Beed. Pic/Nimesh Dave
Caste issues significantly impact voting decisions in Maharashtra's Beed Lok Sabha constituency as locals prepare for the May 13 election. With 41 candidates running, including BJP's Pankaja Munde and NCP (SP) candidate Bajrang Sonawane, caste affiliations play an important part in determining voter preferences.
Neknoor village people freely admit the influence of caste on political choices. Maratha and Muslim communities have aligned their votes behind their respective candidates, while non-Marathas support the BJP. This pattern reflects the profound caste differences that exist in the region.
"All Maratha votes here have consolidated in favour of Bajrang Sonawane as have the Muslim votes. Due to this, the non-Marathas will vote for the BJP," claimed Bhima Ganji, per the PTI report.
According to the report, Manoj Jarange, a Maratha quota activist, organised an agitation last year that aggravated caste divisions in Beed. Incidents such as the police baton charge on demonstrators and riots have heightened communal tensions, particularly in areas like Antarwali Sarati and Beed.
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Beed, a district in Marathwada, faces economic hardships, severe droughts, and high farmer suicide rates. The constituency has six assembly segments, including several Mayauti MLAs from the NCP and BJP.
Pankaja's father, the late Gopinath Munde, and her sister Pritam have represented the Beed Lok Sabha constituency since 2009. However, Pankaja is now the BJP's candidate, hoping to carry on the family's political tradition.
Despite the Mundes' long-standing dominance, frustration with established parties, particularly the ruling BJP, is obvious. Agricultural suffering, exacerbated by crop failures and poor prices, adds to voters' concerns.
Farmers such as Kiran Dhoble, who have experienced losses due to crop failures and growing indebtedness, emphasise the critical need for government action in addressing agricultural issues and creating job possibilities.
Political analysts predict a hotly contested election, with the Maratha reservation issue and Muslim community votes playing critical roles. However, the compassion factor that previously aided the Mundes appears to have weakened.
"The Maratha reservation will play a crucial role in the constituency and the contest is expected to be a tight one. The Muslim community votes will play a major role this time and whoever emerges victorious will win by a thin margin," he said.
"When two communities (Muslim and Maratha) are not voting for you, it will certainly not be an easy contest," said an NCP worker.
Vishwanath Dongre, a Shiv Sena worker from Beed taluka, told PTI, "Jarange is god for the Marathas here. No Maratha in villages is willing to vote for Tai (Pankaja). Despite our cajoling, they are not willing to come to attend her meeting."
As campaigning heated up, Jarange's influence among the Maratha population remained strong, posing a challenge to Pankaja Munde's political hopes. Despite efforts to garner support, her candidature faces opposition from disillusioned voters, particularly those in the Maratha demographic.
With PTI inputs
