Nagpur: Thousands of passersby who crossed the busy junction in front of Kamala Nehru Mahavidyalaya in Sakkardara on Friday would never have guessed that Maharashtra’s biggest political drama of the day was being played behind those mighty walls.
Whether BJP candidate Chandrashekhar Bawankule gets elected unopposed for the MLC election or will he face Dr. Ravindra Bhoyer of the Congress was the subject of a brainstorming session inside the boardroom of the institute.
It was turned into a war room for a few hours on Friday after Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole pondered over the future of his party’s candidate.
With the BJP and Congress in agreement in two other constituencies in Maharashtra, it was expected that Nagpur would also lead the way if Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP would win unopposed.
Initial reports suggested that Congress candidate Bhoyer’s political career was now headed for a crash landing. He quit the BJP and burnt all the bridges, so denial of MLC ticket from Congress would have put him on the path of political oblivion.
As the deadline for withdrawal of candidatures neared at 3 pm, tensions escalated inside the boardroom.
Cabinet ministers Sunil Kedar, Nitin Raut, MLA Vikas Thackeray and former MoS Rajendra Mulak analyzed each option and the risks involved, thus giving Patole several things to think about.
Some leaders felt that it was wrong to even discuss it as withdrawing the candidates would seem like a step down. After a lengthy discussion, Patole instructed Congress’s substitute candidate Prafulla Gudhadhe-Patil to go and withdraw his candidature, but asked Bhoyar to stay back.
Bhoyer’s political career fluctuated from peak to peak within a few hours on Friday.
A senior Congress leader present inside the boardroom said, “The first issue was to reach an agreement with the BJP, but it did not happen. Patole told media persons that the BJP had not sent any proposal for Nagpur, so there was nothing to consider.
While no one will confirm officially, sources told TOI that the second issue was about raising enough funds for Bhoyar, as he does not have deep pockets. The party’s replacement candidate, Guddadhe-Patil, also missed the chance as he was unwilling to control the campaign.
Some leaders felt that such things should not even be discussed as both the Congress and the BJP had raised the pitch of the battle too high, and a withdrawal could send a wrong signal to the civic polls.
Ultimately, Patole took a long view. A source said, “A spirited fight, and perhaps even a victory in the MLC elections, will change the whole game for the civic body elections to be held next year. Patole’s aggressive stance has given new life to the party, so there is no point in slowing down the Sangh’s backyard now. Funds will be raised collectively by the party.
As soon as he came out of the boardroom, a relieved Bhoyar said, “When the votes are counted on December 14, you will be surprised by the margin of victory for the Congress.”
They say that in politics all options are always open. The most convenient is exercise. Putting Bhoyer on the ballot paper on Friday made the party’s plans for the civic polls even more favorable.
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