WARDHA: Sitting MP Ramdas Tadas of BJP is facing a challenge from Congress nominee Charulata Tokas in Wardha seat with Shailesh Agrawal of BSP also in the race. Tadas is a Teli while Tokas is considered as a Kunbi. The communities would have voted on party lines but for Datta Meghe , who is a prominent Kunbi leader and is now with BJP.In 2014, Tadas had defeated Datta’s son Sagar by a margin of over two lakh votes. However, the result was influenced by Modi wave where a large number of Kunbis voted for Tadas. This time it is being said that there is no such wave and hence traditional equations could come into play.Congress leaders say that Sagar was denied the ticket by BJP and hence the family is not fully backing Tadas. BJP leaders counter this and say that as Sagar’s younger brother Sameer was a BJP MLA, there was no chance of this happening. “Datta Meghe is holding meetings for Tadas at his home. What more do you want,” said Sudhir Diwe, campaign manager of Tadas.When Meghe joined BJP many prominent Congress workers accompanied him. This helped BJP win the zilla parishad and municipal council elections in Wardha. The results of the latest gram panchayat elections are strongly contested by both parties. Congress claims that it has won 60% of seats while Diwe says BJP has won 166 out of 299 panchayats while remaining parties include BJP ally Shiv Sena has bagged the remaining 40%.Meghe factor notwithstanding, the continuing agrarian distress will cost Tadas some votes. Many farmers have not got benefit of loan waiver even now. Diwe too is aware of it. “About 78,000 farmers out of 98,000 in Wardha district who had applied have got waivers and process is on for remaining 20,000,” he said.Tokas said that the rates of agricultural produce was even less than that in 2014. “Farmers have been completely ruined by this government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised them 1.5 times the production price. Where is that assurance now,” she asked.The Congress nominee also questioned Tadas’ performance. “He has done nothing in past five years. The irrigation projects are still incomplete. No new industries have been set up in Wardha and the existing ones are facing closure. People will teach him a lesson this time,” said Tokas.Tokas, however, faces the tag of being an outsider. She begins every speech by promising to remain in Wardha all the time and not got to Delhi where she currently lives with her family. A pan kiosk owner in Selu did not know her name when asked by TOI. This factor is going to cost Congress some votes.Diwe said that many development works had been done by Tadas while many were in progress. “In coming five years Wardha will get a district completely new look,” he added.BSP candidate Agrawal had gained popularity among farmers by organizing a mega rally demanding reservation for them in government jobs and educational institutions. He is banking on traditional BSP votes plus those of farmers to become a serious contender.

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